


War Makes Us Monsters

by MuzzledRavings



Category: Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Torture, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-13
Updated: 2019-11-05
Packaged: 2019-11-17 13:11:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 25
Words: 125,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18099167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MuzzledRavings/pseuds/MuzzledRavings
Summary: Ker was raised to be a spotter for her Ranger father in his one man crusade against the Legion. He taught her everything he knew, but in the end he left her behind. After learning there was more to life then killing, she became a Courier to find peace in the wasteland. All she found was a bullet to the head. Now, mentally broken from the bullet, she seeks revenge and nothing will stand in her way.





	1. Broken

**Author's Note:**

> In Greek mythology, the Keres, singular Ker, were female spirits of violent death.  
> “The black Dooms gnashing their white teeth, grim-eyed, fierce, bloody, terrifying fought over the men who were dying for they were all longing to drink dark blood. As soon as they caught a man who had fallen or one newly wounded, one of them clasped her great claws around him and his soul went down to Hades, to chilly Tartarus. And when they had satisfied their hearts with human blood, they would throw that one behind them and rush back again into the battle and the tumult.” - Shield of Heracles

# Broken

 

“We’ve been spotted.” The lithe, young woman lying on the ridge whispered to the much larger man beside her. “We should retreat.”

“Can’t. Got Legion coming in from the left and right too.” The man gruffly replied.

“Then we scale the cliff behind us.”

 “We shoot.”

The woman didn’t argue. She lined up her shot and they fired together. They started firing in rapid succession. The Legion kept advancing. Soon they were close enough to use the canyon walls as cover and the pair lost any chance at a clear shot.

“Retreat?” The young woman asked. Her eyes stayed on the scope watching the Legion gather at the base of the hill. They heard an explosion off to the side.

“Negative. Legion is advancing on all sides. We’re penned in. They want us bad.” The man almost smiled at the thought. “This will come down to close quarters.” He stated flatly.

“Two against…. My last count was 37.” The woman said lightly.

“Remember what I taught you?” The man said, taking his eyes off his scope to glance at her.

“Stick em with the pointy end.” She joked.

“Focus.” The man scolded.

“Yes, sir.”

“Ready?”

The woman put down her rifle and drew a 9mm pistol off each thigh. “Ready.”

“Liberty or death!” The man cried as he rose to his feet.

“Liberty or death!” The young woman cried as she leaped from their hide and slid down the loose rock before her. While sliding down the hill, she emptied the dual pistols into the legionaries who ran out to meet her. Every shot was precise. Her guns were both empty before she reached the bottom of the hill. She dropped the one in her left hand and reloaded the one in her right as fast as lightning. Then she drew her combat knife in her left hand and charged at the legionaries.

Most of them were bigger than her and all were likely stronger than her but she was **fast**. Feinting in and out, weaving to and fro, sliding under a guard here, and getting inside a swing there. She was like nothing the legionaries could have expected. She had killed perhaps two dozen between her dangerously sharp and precise knife and her carefully aimed, close range shots when she felt the sting of steel down her back. Without even a hint of hesitation she spun and drove her knife into the attacker’s kidney. She kept fighting.

The sting on her back brought with it a thought she couldn’t quiet. She hadn’t heard any gun shots but her own. Breaking her focus she glanced around and saw all the legionaries were focused solely on her. Her partner wasn’t at her back. Had they already killed him? She did what she could to look around but most of her view was blocked. She killed a legionary with a thrust between his ribs only to clear a line of sight to their previous hide. There he was, her partner, scaling the cliff. He was almost at the top when she called out to him.

“Father!” She saw him reach the top. “Father!” She cried as he disappeared from sight without looking back. Her distraction was all the legionaries needed. Several rushed her at once disarming her and restraining her. Still, she fought. She managed a few solid impacts with her fists before she felt a sharp pain in the back of her head. Then everything went black.

Ker snapped back to reality. She didn’t recognize where she was and her instincts took over. She grabbed the hand that was on her shoulder and twisted it as she stood up.

“Whoo! Easy there, girly. You’re safe.” The man shouted in surprise.

 _Assess the environment. Note possible improvised weapon. Consider all possible escape routes; impractical and practical. Assess the people. Determine the threats. Never let your guard down._ Ker shook her head to clear the rough and stern voice of her father from her mind. She looked around while she held the old man in the hammerlock. The room looked like a doctor’s office. The man must have been treating her but what had happened? She suddenly realized her head hurt like hell.

 _He helped you! Let him go! You’re hurting him!_ A kind, young voice shouted with childlike conviction. Sable was right though.

“What’s going on?” Ker grunted as she released the old man after what she knew was a long pause.

 _Don’t give up your advantage!_ Her father shouted.

 _Shut up, father._ Ker shot back.

“I was hoping you could tell me.” The old doctor asked as he turned to face her and rubbed his arm.

 _You were sloppy. They weren’t even Legion._ Ker ignored the voice of her father and thought. Her dream had been vivid but that was years ago. She tried to focus. The man in the checkered suit. The Great Khans. Her package. She growled as she realized she’d been left for dead. **Again**.

“Easy there, girly. You got a name?” The doctor asked almost taking a step back.

 _He did save your life!_ Sable whined.

Ker considered for a second. She owed him that at least. “Ker.” She replied, taking a breath and willing away the pain.

“Ker? As in Courier?” He asked.

Ker might have laughed at that, once. “Yeah.” She scoffed. “Let’s go with that.”

Ignoring her instincts and the voice of her father, Ker trusted Doc Mitchell. She sat silently on the table while he checked over her head wound. Many people would be embarrassed to be sitting nearly naked in the room of a strange man. She didn’t care.

“It’s healing well.” He said as he brushed her straight, raven black hair aside. He walked past her to get a small flashlight. Then came back and shined it into her grey eyes. “This will probably scar but we all have scars out here, some are just more visible then most.” She knew what he was alluding to. Ker was covered in scars, the worst of which were the long vertical lines on her back. Her wrists were bad as well, the off colour marks circled just below her hands. The rest of her body was covered in a myriad of lines, long and short. Her face was no exception; the most obvious one was the vertical mark above and below her right eye. She didn’t mind that one. It tended to scare people. Ker had come to terms with her scars a long time ago. They were part of her; they made her what she was.

“Thank you, Doctor. You didn’t have to help me.” She said after he moved away. She started absently running her fingers through her hair to work out the knots and dirt.

“Don't mention it. It's what I'm here for.” He turned around and started rummaging through the cupboards.

“Not that I’m ungrateful, but why is it so loud?” Ker said as she tried to ignore her father and Sable arguing.

“Loud?” He turned to look at her.

“Voices, in my head. People I knew…” Ker pressed two fingers against her throbbing temple.

“It wasn’t like that before?” The doctor looked at her with concern.

“No.”

“I guess that bullet might’ve knocked a few screws loose. Head injuries are tricky things. Could be temporary, could be permanent. There’s really no way to know.”

“Alright. I understand.” Ker said.

“You’ll probably want to get cleaned up. Here, take this. Was my wife’s. I think she was about your size, and she hardly wore it after we left the vault. Felt it was too brazen.” He handed Ker the vault suit.

A few hours later, Ker stepped out into the wasteland. Her long black hair, now in a braid hung to just past her shoulders. Doc Mitchell was one of the kindest people she had ever met. Not only had he saved her life he’d also given her a vault suit, a Pip-Boy and a 9mm pistol. That and the only thing she had on her when she was brought in; a Mojave Express courier contract.

Ker set to work making herself known around town. She met with the locals and helped Sunny clear the geckos around the source with ease. Then she spent the rest of the day scavenging around the town. By nightfall she had cleared a cave of a pack of nightstalkers, found an old workshop and cleared the schoolhouse. She took her loot to Chet and bought what she could afford to try and replace her lost gear. She replaced her vault suit with wasteland doctor’s fatigues, basically a dingy old, whitish tank top and dark tan cargo pants plus a good pair of leather boots. After that she couldn’t afford much more than the basics: a sturdy pack, a canteen, a few bottles of water, a lighter, a thigh holster for the 9mm, a combat knife and a couple of switchblades. Her new Pip-Boy that she was still figuring out how to use would be useful in a dozen different ways.

She gathered all the information she could. She discovered her attackers were headed to New Vegas. But with the current deathclaw problem just past Sloan, they would have to go south and hook around the mountains. Ker could deal with the deathclaws, if she had her gear still; which she didn’t. Armed as she was, she had no choice but to follow them south.

Before she turned in for the night she climbed to the Goodsprings graveyard. There she found the grave she’d been dug out of. Looking at the grave made her angry. It just reminded her of **exactly** what people were capable of.

 _A desperate man._ Sable whispered.

 _A dangerous man._ Her father added. _You were sloppy_.

“I know, father. I have to do better.” Ker replied aloud.

After her anger calmed, she headed for the old schoolhouse to get some sleep. She had imposed upon Doc Mitchell more than enough already.

Ker was on the road before the town woke the next morning. It had been a long time since she’d travelled so light. She scavenged as she went; gathering anything useful. This often took her off the main road and she ran into more than a few critters. She was careful with her bullets. She couldn’t afford any ammo and only had what Doc Mitchell had given her; two clips or 26 bullets. She shot the critters once as they approached and then finished them with her combat knife. As she scavenged she came upon a small camp.

“Hey, girly. You look lost.” She heard a man say from off to her side.

 _Threat level low._ Her father began. _Judging by attire, designate Powder Ganger. Criminal. Eliminate._

 _Ignore him! Just move along._ Sable countered.

Ker made a disgusted noise and pointedly ignored the Powder Ganger.

“I’m talkin’ to ya, girly!” The man shouted, coming up close behind her. “Maybe I oughta teach you some manners!” He grabbed her shoulder from behind.

 _Threat level moderate. Eliminate at once._ Ker agreed with her father.

“You’re no better than the Legion!” She growled. In one fluid motion she pinned his hand, drew her knife and spun to face him. Using the momentum of the spin she broke his elbow with her forearm then slid her knife down his arm into his neck. He never had a chance to scream. His buddy started screaming though.

“You killed him! You fucking killed him!” He started lighting the dynamite in his hands.

_Secondary threat detected. Adjust to ranged tactics._

Ker sighed, adjusted her knife and threw it into his shoulder causing him to drop the dynamite. She saw his eyes go wide as he went to dive for cover but the dynamite exploded first. There was a secondary explosion on the body then everything was quiet again.

 _That was… bloody_. Sable sighed quietly.

_Powder Gangers. Another fuckup of the NCR. Abject failure in securing their own territories. Well executed, daughter._

Ker was glad she hadn’t wasted a bullet on either of the Powder Gangers since the only loot she got out of the camp was a hand full of caps and a single stick of dynamite. Still it was something.

 She continued south, all the while searching for anything she could use and killing any Powder Gangers who got too close. The desert provided lunch in the form of gecko steak and she managed to gather a fair number of yuccas. As the sun was setting she saw Primm in the distance, and the NCR trooper guard. She stopped in her tracks.

 _New California Republic._ Her father said bitterly. _Corrupt, genocidal warmongers. They’re too strong to take on in force. Use stealth tactics if elimination becomes necessary._

She knew little about the NCR beyond what her father had taught her and he had **hated** the NCR. But the decision to proceed was hers and hers alone. She forced herself forward toward the guard.

“Watch yourself. Town up ahead has been taken over by convicts.” The guard called when she got close.

“And you’re just sitting on your ass instead of helping the town?” Ker asked menacingly.

“Town’s not NCR jurisdiction.”

 _Typical NCR bullshit._ He father said spitefully. _Show them how desert rangers do things._

“Fuck that. I’ll deal with those bastards then.” Ker stomped off toward the town. She dealt with the two patrolling guard with ease; just used the building as cover and waited. They both died fast and easy.

She found the sheriff and his wife dead in bed; murdered while they slept. She saw the sheriff’s duster in the corner on a coat rack. It reminded her of her father. He was rarely without his ranger armour and almost never without his duster. As much as she wanted nothing to do with him a duster was far too useful in the desert to pass up. She took it and slipped it on; as payment for the work she was about to do. It fit well enough and didn’t restrict her movement.

Ker headed to the big hotel next. She only had a single clip left for her 9mm. It would be more than enough inside the confines of the building. Gun in one hand, knife in the other, she didn’t hesitate and kicked the door in, surprising the hell out of the Powder Ganger on watch. He managed a choked scream before he died and Ker knew she’d lost the element of surprise. It didn’t matter, she liked to charge in and deal with her problems head on. She flew through the halls, stabbing and shooting. The Powder Ganger with the incinerator was a surprise but the lobbed balls of fire were easy to avoid and she weaved toward him, closing the gap and making the kill. When the floor was quiet she noticed the hostage.

 _Civilian!_ Sable shouted. _Play the hero!_

“Anymore?” She called.

“Lots more upstairs. Mind freeing me, miss?” She rolled her eyes and cut him free.

 _Useless baggage._ Her father commented.

“Get lost.” She said as she headed to the stairs.

Ker was in her element upstairs. The tight space allowed her to use her combat knife very effectively. She wasn’t expecting there to be as many Powder Gangers as there were, but it didn’t matter, they all died. One tried to ambush her. He ended up breaking his pool cue on her blocking Pip-Boy covered forearm. Ker hadn’t even considered the usefulness of the Pip-Boy in combat. She grinned when she came out of the fight without a broken arm.

 _Sturdy forearm protection added to list of usable assets._ Her father commented.

She cleared and scavenged the floor. She found a myriad of improvised weapons, but none as good as her knife. She also found lots of used drugs. In the end she found little of any real worth, just a few sticks of dynamite and a baseball bat. With the bat over her shoulder she headed back to the first floor. There she found a safe she couldn’t open and the incinerator. The incinerator was a piece of garbage; she was surprised the tank hadn’t exploded when it had been fired. She left it behind and headed for the casino.

When she opened the door to the casino someone grabbed her wrist. She swung around, dropped the bat and pulled the arm into a painful, but not hard enough to break anything, hold.

“Easy there, youngin, thought you was a Gangster.” The man said with a hint of pain in his voice. She looked around the casino to see all the townsfolk with their weapons trained on her, some of them with shaking hands.

_Threat level moderate. Injuries likely to be received with this many firearms pointed in your direction. Deescalate the situation._

_Agreed!_ Sable squealed.

“Have them lower their weapons and I’ll let you go.” The old man nodded and the weapons were slowly lowered. Ker released the man. “The Powder Gangers are dead.” She announced.

“All of them?!” Asked the former hostage.

“Everyone I could find. I’m looking for information.” Ker headed back to the hotel to spend the night. She learned the man who shot her passed the town and was headed through Nipton to Novac. She’d traded the dynamite and baseball bat for some 9mm ammo and a small bag of gun maintenance tools. Once she reached the hotel, she found a room with a working lock and went about cleaning her gun. She had a few of the yuccas she had found for dinner and tried to get some sleep.

She didn’t waste any time and was on the road at first light. She knew she was several days behind the man in the checkered suit and she needed to make up time. Instead of going through Nipton she stayed close to the hills and tried to cut off as much time as she could. She kept a quick pace and ignored anything that ignored her. Travelling off the road did mean she used more ammo then she had expected fending off the things that didn’t ignore her.

She was hoping to make the three day journey in two. She trusted her survival skills to provide for her on the trip. She pushed herself hard and made good time. Around midnight she found an isolated cliff and curled up to spend the night. At dawn she headed out. She stumbled on a nest of Vipers around noon.

“Looky what stumbled by!” Said a chubby man with a tire iron. “Get her!” He yelled and his four armourless lackeys charged.

_Threat level low. Eliminate._

_I know, father._ Ker replied.

Ker made a disgusted noise as she fired her last four bullets. Each shot ended a life. She hadn’t even needed to move. Then it was just her and the chubby. She holstered her pistol as he charged. A graceful sidestep exposed the raider’s whole back to Ker. She took her choice of target and went for the heart.

 _And the Mojave is a little safer thanks to Ker!_ Sable cheered.

The raiders hadn’t been very good at their jobs. They had little of value. The melee weapons were too heavy to be worth carrying but they did have some old world food and water. Ker took that and headed north. She saw the strange shape in the distance in the early evening. It was well after dark when she was close enough to figure out what it was.

 _Oh my god! It’s a dinosaur!_ Squealed Sable _. I wanna see it closer! It’s so big! I didn’t think they were that big!_

Ker caught herself smiling when she recognized the dinosaur. Her mother had taught her how to read before she died. Ker had loved books once. She’d tried to read every book in town, even the boring ones. She’d read one about dinosaurs. She’d always wanted to ride a dinosaur. Ker shook away the memory. That was a long time ago. She hadn’t read a book in years. Her smile abruptly disappeared as she entered town.

 _Ignore the dinosaur. Note the silhouette in its mouth instead._ Her father chided. _Town is guarded._

Even though it was late, as she entered the heart of town an older lady approached her.

“Well. Welcome to you. You look tired from the road. Why don't you relax a spell, let this fine town take care of you?” She greeted sweetly.

_Old, weak, trusting. Easy to overpower. No threat._

_Of course not! She’s just being friendly! Be friendly Ker!_

“I don’t know you.” Ker stated firmly keeping her distance.

“Oh, what am I doing? I got to thinking about making a good impression and plain forgot to tell you my name. I'm Jeannie May. I take care of folks here at the motel. Long as they aren't trouble makers.”

“I'm looking for a man in a checkered coat. Have you seen anyone like that?” Ker asked.

“Well he might've been wearing a fancy outfit, but he wasn't any kind of a gentleman to me. Had his nose stuck so high in the air, you couldn't see it above the clouds. City folk, they always think they deserve better than what they got. Those hoodlums he was with seemed to know Manny for some reason. He's our daytime sniper, up in the dinosaur's mouth.”

 _Sniper? Dinosaur’s mouth provides height advantage as well as line of sight. Effective sniper range is out to 1600 yards. Avoid line of sight with the nest if necessary._ Her father explained. _Consider removing sniper before commencing any operations in the area. Sniper will likely be easy to ambush and lack in melee training._

“Sniper?” Six asked surprised.

“We got these two gentlemen snipers watching the road day and night, keeping the trash out of Novac. They've been a blessing.”

“Rangers?” Ker asked, with worried intrigued.

 _Doubtful._ Her father scoffed.

 _What nice people! Protecting the town like that!_ Sable sighed happily.

“I don’t think so; you’d have to ask one of them about that.”

“Alright. Manny and…?”

“Oh, Boone’s the nighttime sniper. If you speak to him, don’t be put off by his gruffness. He’s been going through a lot.” Jeannie May seemed genuinely sad.

Ker didn’t really care but knew enough about social interaction to feign interest. “What’s wrong with Boone?”

“Nothing that wouldn't be wrong with any man who loses a wife, I suppose. Poor dear. I know he thinks she was kidnapped, but I'm not so sure she didn't just run off on her own. You could tell she was thinking about it ever since they arrived.”

_Alert! Likelihood of Legion activity in the area extremely high._

“A woman from town was **kidnapped** and no one but her husband cares?!” Ker asked, though why it surprised her, she didn’t know. “Typical.” She muttered, too low for the woman to hear.

“Oh no! Nothing like that, the poor man just can’t come to terms with her leaving.”

“Oh, alright.” Ker wasn’t convinced. “What’s with the dinosaur?”

“Oh, Dinky? He’s the town mascot. He's a sight. You can go up inside, too.”

“Inside?”

“Cliff Briscoe runs the Dino Bite Gift Shop in there and the snipers use the mouth to watch the roads.”

“I see.” Ker thought carefully. “Can I rent a room?”

_Town threat level low. Safer to sleep with sniper on guard. Good call, daughter._

“Well, I think that's a fine idea. I'll give you a good flat rate, 100 caps, and you can stay as long as you like. Least till the busy season comes. Sound good?”

Ker pulled together all her caps and only just had enough. _No caps. No ammo. Dammit. Need to find some work tomorrow. All that work to catch up and I’ll still lose a day._ It was full dark by the time Ker headed to her room.

 _I wanna see the dinosaur!_ Sable cheered.

_Assessing capabilities of sniper guard seems a beneficial use of time._

 She was just about to ascend the stairs to her room when her curiosity got the better of her. She headed toward the dinosaur instead.

The door was unlocked but the shop owner was gone. _Trusting._ Ker mused idly. She headed up the stairs and opened the door. She barely caught sight of the man inside before he turned and raised his rifle toward her. Her instincts took over and she brushed the barrel aside and grabbed on tight. She knew his next move would be to try and strike her with the butt of the rifle so she immediately grabbed for that. He was stronger and forced her up against the wall of the sniper’s nest.

 _Shit! This isn’t what I wanted. This is gonna escalate fast!_  Ker thought quickly. While they momentarily fought for the rifle, she noticed the man reeked of alcohol. She wasn’t sure if it was his breath or his clothes.

_Slip under the rifle and draw your knife. Alcohol impairs motor functions. Sniper will move at a reduced speed._

This wasn’t going to end well.

“Stop!” She shouted. Both still held firm on the rifle but neither fought to take it. “I’m gonna let go and you’re not gonna point that rifle at me.” He didn’t respond. “Alright?” She prompted roughly. She looked him dead in the eyes; trying to see through the sunglasses. Neither moved, both wore neutral expressions.

 _Threat level low. This is an error in judgement. He attacked you. Kill him and leave town._ Her father ordered.

 _You did walk in on a sniper in his nest without any warning!_ Sable huffed.

 Ker took a breath and let go of the rifle. The man took the gun and took a step back. She could see him trying not to point the rifle at her. _Huh. A bit of decency._ Ker thought with surprise.

Who the hell was this? Boone had seen her approach the town, a lithe young woman wearing a duster with a near empty pack. She only had a 9mm pistol on her thigh and a knife on her belt yet she’d made it through the desert unscathed. When he’d heard the door to the nest open he thought his time was up. He’d been ready though. He was expecting company after all, but she had been **fast**. He might’ve been able to overpower her but in these close quarters his rifle was practically useless. She had the advantage. That made him angry. “What the hell do you want?” He said fiercely.

“Expecting someone else?” She asked harshly.

“Yeah. I guess maybe I am. But not like you. Huh. Maybe it should've been you I was expecting all along. Why are you here?”

“That woman, uhh… Jeannie May? She said you thought your wife had been kidnapped.” Ker said as she leaned against the wall and crossed her arms. “Lots of people out here who do shit like that, but this close to the river? You’re probably dealing with Legion.”

“Huh.” Was all he replied. He kept the surprised expression off his face. She was pretty direct.

_Assessing situation._

Ker looked out through the teeth pensively. “Why didn’t they take the whole town though?” She said mainly to herself. “You got, what? 180 degrees of sight here? Maybe 270 if you stick your head out.” She walked over to the teeth to check her estimate. “Assuming you’re a good shot, you’d be able to take anything in sight range. But the town…” She stuck her head out through the teeth. “Is pretty much outta sight from up here.” She pulled her head back in. He hadn’t interrupted her so she continued. “All they’d have to do is get behind you. But Legion walking into town during the day would cause chaos and taking someone out of a busy town without anyone noticing would be tricky, even disguised. Especially if her husband was at all vigilant.” She crossed her arms and looked back at the sniper. “They came at night then, while you were on duty.” She scratched her head. “Had inside intel to know where you couldn’t see. Frumentarius in town maybe?” She wondered aloud, noticing the sniper’s subtle flinch at the Latin word. “But why just **one** woman? That’s a lot of work for not a lot of gain.” This one had her stumped. “Maybe they wanted to get to you?” She thought aloud as she tapped her chin.

“Enough.” The sniper said sharply. Ker looked over at him. “How do you know all that?”

“Too much experience.” Ker said simply.

“It’s close enough I’d wonder if you were in on it.”

Ker shrugged. “If that’s what you think.” She shook her head. “I never even set foot in this town before today. Add that to the fact that I’m a **woman** and I’d think that would be all the evidence you’d need.”

The sniper stared at her intently. Ker stared back. “I need someone new in town I can trust and you just volunteered.”

“What?” Ker asked surprised.

“You’re right, about everything. I want the son of a bitch who sold my wife. Frumentarius or not.”

 _Sold his wife?!_ Sable shouted in surprise.

“Why not go after her?” Ker asked.

“My wife's dead.”

Ker sighed at that. “Son of a bitch.” She whispered.

Her father offered his opinion first. _Legion frumentarius is worth ferreting out. Request may be difficult to complete. Accept at your own discretion._

_Someone sold his wife! You have to help him!_

She looked out through the teeth. Ker wasn’t in the habit of helping people. Most people didn’t deserve it. But helping this man would let her kill legionaries and maybe net her a few caps. “What do I do when I find this person?” She asked, rubbing her face with her hand and trying not to regret this already.

“Bring him out in front of the nest here while I'm on duty. I'll give you my NCR beret to put on. It'll be our signal, so I know you're standing with him. And I'll take care of the rest. I need to do this myself.” He handed her the red beret he was wearing.

_Red beret. Patch: bear skull with crossed rifles behind it. Slogan: The last thing you never see. First Recon: elite NCR sniper company. Increasing target threat level assessment to moderate._

“I understand.” Ker said taking the beret. _I understand better than you know_. She thought to herself.

“Good. I'll make it worth your while. And one more thing. We shouldn't speak again. Not until it's over. No one in town knows that I know what happened to my wife. Best they never know. Or the Legion will be after me next.”

_Agree with sniper’s assessment._

“I hear ya.” Ker said knowingly. She turned and trudged down the stairs of the dinosaur and out into the courtyard. She finally headed to her room. The room was in pretty good shape, all things considered. There was a bed and a lock on the door. She checked the bathroom and happily found running water. _The perks of the civilized world._ She thought sarcastically as she stripped down for a shower.

In the morning, Ker found out the town was filled with oblivious Brahmin. She’d asked about the sniper’s wife, Carla, only to hear the same thing from everyone; big city girl didn’t care for small town Novac. To Ker’s immense surprise, even the sniper’s former **partner** shared the same low opinion of her. The morning meeting with the day sniper had gone well. He’d tell her what he knew about the Great Khans and the man in the checkered suit if she cleared the ghouls out of REPCONN. But she needed ammo to kill ghouls and she currently had none.

She also picked up as much info as she could on the REPCONN facility, HELIOS I and the Legion occupied town of Nelson nearby. Nelson intrigued her. Especially since there was an NCR outpost nearby that was doing nothing about it.

When she ran out of townsfolk to question she headed to scout out REPCONN. She spent the rest of the day scavenging the REPCONN area for anything useful while avoiding the ghouls.

It was just getting dark when Ker headed back into town. There were only a few people out. She headed to trade in her loot.

“Who sent you? I ain't talking. They tried to get me to talk before, but I didn't say nothing. And I don't aim to now, by gum.” Ker saw the man yelling at a cactus. She hadn’t seen him earlier that day.

 “Uhh... Sir? Do you know anything about the disappearance of Boone's wife?”

“Seen it all. Seen shadowy folk come to his room and leave again in the middle of the night. Thought one might've gone in the lobby, too, for a spell. Could be that person went in to get something. Or use the john maybe. Mighty interesting either way, you ask me. I thought it was cannibals, come to eat us all for sure, so I kept out of sight. But now I know better.”

 _Is there a kernel of truth among the ramblings?_ Ker’s father suggested.

“Who was it?” Ker indulged the man.

“Molerat men, come up from the Underneath to steal young women with promises of riches and fancy mud mansions with all the latest designer appliances. They covet our ladyfolk's long hair for wigs, it's said, being either bald or balding themselves.”

“Uhh… huh.” Ker just nodded. “Thanks.” It was pretty insane and outlandish but maybe he’d been out that night. She changed course and headed to the lobby. Ker wasn’t the best with a bobby pin so she tried to break into the lobby quietly. Surprisingly the door wasn’t locked. After a bit of searching she found a floor safe. She lay down on the floor and spent the next ten minutes picking the lock carefully. When it finally clicked, she sighed in thanks.

Inside the safe wasn’t much; a little more than a hundred caps and a note. Ker read the note.

 _The sniper lost his child too?! That poor man! He must be devastated!_ Sable cried.

_Bill of sale paperwork. Unsurprising._

Her heart raced as her eyes saw red. She stood up and started pacing while swearing loudly. She walked over to the wall and punched it as hard as she could, putting a hole in the brittle drywall. Oh, now she was **pissed**. She swiped the caps and stormed out of the lobby.

Finding Jeanie May was easy. Waiting until the town was quiet enough was harder. Ker went and traded her little bit of scavenged loot for some ammo while she waited. Around midnight, she knocked on Jeannie May’s door.

“It’s a little bit late for a social call dear, but what can I do for you?”

“There’s something you **have** to see in front of the dinosaur.” Ker tried to be as excited as she could and not show her rage.

“Oh, if you insist.” Jeannie May followed the excited courier to find nothing special out in front of the dinosaur. By the time Jeannie May noticed there was nothing around; Ker had the note in one hand and the beret in the other. “What’s this about?” She demanded.

Ker held up the note as she lifted the beret over her head. As Jeannie May’s eyes went wide, Ker let the beret fall onto her head. The gunshot was instant and Jeannie May’s head exploded in a way Ker had never seen up close before. When the body hit the ground, Ker shoved the note back in her pocket and then kicked the lifeless body. Ker was angry. It was people like Jeannie May that made this world a nightmare. Ker’s hands were shaking in rage and she could barely see straight. She **needed** to calm down. But this, how does one calmly deal with **this**? Ker’s mind ran through all the horrors she’d seen the Legion commit. Then her mind went digging and pulled up memories she didn’t want to see. She tried to push the thoughts away but she couldn’t help looking at the scars around her wrists. She had to think of something else, had to focus on something else.

 _Sniper is observing current behavior. Cease behavior._ Her father directed.

 _It’s ok, Ker. That’s all over._ Sable soothed.

Ker took a breath and knelt to grab the bitch’s ankle. Then she proceeded to drag her into the desert. People like her didn’t deserve to be carried. They didn’t deserve to be buried either. She found a spot out of sight of the dinosaur and left the body to rot.

By the time she got back to town, Ker had her emotions back in check. She headed up to the nest. She was sure to knock first this time.

“That's it, then. How did you know?” He asked when she entered the nest.

Ker hesitated. The note in her pocket indicated that the sniper hadn’t just lost his wife, but his unborn child too. Did he even know? No one in town had mentioned it. Ker finally had her answer as to why the Legion had gone to so much trouble over one person.

“You do have proof… right?” The sniper said menacingly. Ker saw his hands shift to a better shooting position on his rifle.

“I do.” Ker said firmly. “But you might not want to see it. It’s the bill of sale.” She reached into her pocket and withdrew the worn note. She held it firmly in her hand in a way that indicated she would not be parting with it. She let out a loud sigh and then held the note out to him. She lit up her Pip-Boy so he could read it in the dark. Then she took off the beret and waited.

Ker waited, each second seeming far longer than the one before. She watched as the sniper read the note. First once, and then again. The only reaction she saw was his jaw clench tighter at one point. He roughly shoved the note into his pocket. Ker passed back the beret when his hand was empty. He took it back and fit it back on his head.

 “I guess I shouldn't be surprised. It'd be like them to keep paperwork. Here. This is all I can give. I think our dealings are done here.” He withdrew a bag jingling with caps from his cargo pants pocket and held it out.

_This will assist with the purchase of ammo._

_Don’t take his money!_ Sable retorted. _Hug him or something! He lost his family!_

Ker reached out to take it. She needed the caps. She hesitated. This guy seemed like a decent man. In the wasteland, that **meant** something. She needed caps, but not his. “No.” She pulled her hand back and rubbed her face with it. The nest was quiet then, as the two regarded each other. Ker broke the silence with the first thing that came to mind. “What will you do now?” Ker brought her eyes up to his. She almost gasped when she saw a look on his face she had seen a thousand times before on her father’s face. She knew what that look meant. Knew where it would lead. She didn’t owe this man anything yet she felt obligated to step in, if for no other reason than to prevent him from becoming like her father. She knew exactly what the sniper would do now.

“I don't know. I won't be staying, I know that. Don't see much point in anything right now, except hunting legionaries. Maybe I'll wander, like you.”

He startled Ker out of thought. She swore under her breath. This was a bad decision; one she was sure she would regret. And yet something about the sniper intrigued her. No. She traveled alone. She wouldn’t…. she couldn’t… and yet…

 _Trusting people is always a mistake!_ Her father shouted.

 _Do it! Doooooooo it! Help the sniper!_ Sable tried to shout over Ker’s father.

“I’m heading to Nelson in the morning.”

“Legion took Nelson yesterday.”

“I know. They’re isolated on this side of the river; **vulnerable**.” She couldn’t help the malice in her voice. “I expect half a century, maybe a decanus if I’m lucky.”

“40 legionaries against one poorly armed woman?” He said with obvious skepticism.

 _He underestimates you._ Ker’s father laughed.

“Throw in a sniper on my side and I’d say the odds were even.”

“You don’t want that.”

 _Agreed. You don’t want a stranger looking at you through a scope._ Her father said sternly.

“What? Trust a strange sniper I just met in the desert to watch my back against a horde of testosterone fueled barbarian assholes?” She thought for a second. “Ugh… I’ve made **worse** decisions.”

“I was thinking the same thing.”

“You trusted me once.” Ker didn’t know why she was wasting her time trying to convince him. She worked fine alone. “Fine. Make up your mind by dawn. I could use a sniper, but I’ll do it alone if I have to.” She turned and walked down the stairs of the dinosaur. “Get some sleep if you’re coming.” Ker left the dinosaur and headed back to her room. After preforming some quick maintenance on her 9mm, she took a shower and got some sleep.


	2. Partners

# Partners

 

Ker didn’t sleep well. Jeannie May’s death had stirred up some long dormant feelings. Finally she saw the first rays of light through the window and got ready to head out.

With pistol holstered and knife sheathed, she headed out in her duster to meet the day. Her pack was still unusually light but there was nothing she could do about it. After locking the door she immediately noticed the sniper (Boone, she reminded herself.) leaning up against the dinosaur. He was dressed the same as last night, tan cargo pants and plain whitish t-shirt. He wore his sunglasses and beret and had a small pack and his rifle over his shoulder. He also had a 9mm pistol holstered on his hip and a combat knife on his belt. She approached him warily.

_Threat level moderate at close range, extreme at long range._ Her father sighed. _Drunken sniper added to usable assets._

“You really headed to Nelson?” He asked when she was close.

“If those assholes in the NCR are just gonna let the Legion stay there, someone has to do something about it.” She knew at ‘assholes’ she’d screwed up but finished her thought anyways. She saw Boone glare at her.

“You got a problem with the NCR?” He asked coldly.

Ker stepped into his personal space to indicate she did, indeed, have a problem with the NCR. She caught the unmistakable smell of alcohol when she did. Then her mind caught up with her and she took a step back with hands raised low in surrender. “No.” She sighed. “My **father** had a problem with the NCR. He taught me to share that opinion. It’s a hard habit to break though. Personally? I haven’t had enough interaction with them to have really formed an opinion.”

He looked at her sternly for a few seconds. “Fine.”

“I’ll try and keep an open mind.” She added.

He merely grunted in reply. “Never caught your name.”

“Ker, or Courier. It’s doesn’t matter. You’re Boone, right?” She asked to be certain. A curt nod was all she got in reply. “Alright, let’s go.”

The walk east to Nelson was quiet. Ker was used to traveling alone and didn’t have much to say. Her new partner was equally quiet.

_Talk to him!_ Sable urged.

_About what?_ Ker asked.

_Umm… the weather?_

_Idle chatter is not required to complete the mission. Sniper seems to understand that._

They didn’t say a single word all morning. Around noon they saw the makeshift barricade set up in the distance. A ranger ran toward her. Ker slowed a little and tensed up. She got the feeling her partner noticed.

_Alert. NCR Ranger. Traitor, turncoat, deserter. Threat level high. Avoid interaction._ Her father seethed in barely controlled rage.

“Hold up there. This area is locked down by the NCR military until we can dislodge some Legion snakes from Nelson.”

“You’re a **ranger**. Do something about it.” Ker said, trying to hide the condescending tone.

“Back at ‘Ranger School’, they taught us not to run headlong into a battle when you're outnumbered ten to one.” The ranger said sarcastically.

Ker shook her head in disgust. “Then sit back and watch, **ranger**.” She walked passed the ranger toward the hills.

_Rangers have gone soft. Disappointing. Unsurprising._ Her father sighed.

“Wait. You should know the Legion has some of our men crucified down there.” The ranger said and Ker stopped abruptly. “If you can ‘remove’ the hostages from the situation, I could rally these boys to help.”

_Mercy killing…_ Sable whispered. _Why bother? With the sniper’s help you can get them out!_

Ker kept walking. She felt Boone walking beside her. Together they carefully made their way to a decent vantage point. Boone went prone and Ker did the same beside him. She didn’t have a rifle, a scope or binoculars, but she could still survey the site by eye.

_Assessing situation._

“Looks like three hostages.” She said quietly. “Hmm… What do you see in the way of guns?”

“Sentries in the towers, north, west and south have rifles.” He replied quietly.

“Take them first. I’ll be the distraction.” She drew her pistol and checked the clip was full. “Once it starts, keep those boys safe. I’ll take care of myself.” She saw Boone glance over at her. She ignored the look and drew her knife. “Wait for me to engage.” With that Ker got up and disappeared back toward the ranger.

“What the hell am I **doing**?” Ker whispered as she circled to come at the camp from the road. She was trusting this stranger to watch her back. He had to take out the three guns so she’d be safe in melee. If he didn’t, she’d be vulnerable. She didn’t like trusting him. She didn’t like trusting **anyone**. She tried to breath and focused on the problem at hand. She could see the Legion Recruit eyeing her as she approached.

When she got close enough, he spoke. “Have you come to Nelson seeking your death, Profligate?”

“Nope.” Ker replied. “Yours!” She covered the distance between them in the blink of an eye. He barely had time to draw his machete which she easy danced around and plunged her knife into his throat. She heard the other legionaries send up a cry and then heard a high caliber rifle round. She darted to cover between two houses. Screw trusting a stranger, she’d cover herself as best she could. The Legion started coming from both sides. Using her thirteen bullets sparingly she fended them off. She was a storm of strikes, using every weapon available to her; knife, butt of the knife, pistol, pistol whip, knees, elbows and feet. While she fought she heard a rifle sounding off at regular intervals. Soon the ground she was using was too littered with bodies to have proper footing and she had to push out into open ground. She found herself near the crucified troopers. The mongrels rushed her then. She used her precious bullets to kill them before they got close. She noted the two that died outside her range. Her last bullet killed the last dog and she quickly holstered the gun to free up her hand. One last Legionary charged her. She stood her ground only to have his head explode before he reached her.

_This many legionaries would not mobilize without a decanus. Locate the decanus._

She stood catching her breath as she examined the buildings. She hadn’t seen the decanus yet so he must be inside somewhere. “Hiding? Not very Legion-like.” She yelled. “And from a woman. You should be ashamed of yourself.” She smiled wickedly.

“Face me without your sniper and we’ll see who should be **ashamed**.” She heard the voice from one of the nearby barracks. She walked over to stand in front of the door. The door was open and she could see the decanus deep inside.

Ker heard fast footsteps from beside her and raised her knife only to see Boone approach. He slowed when she raised her bloody knife, grip tight on his rifle. She lowered her knife and he came to stand beside her. When Boone tried to line up a shot on the decanus, he moved out of line of sight.

“Ugh…” Ker said loudly in disgust. “We’re gonna play **this** game? Fine.” She walked toward the barracks boldly. She heard a sigh from behind her as she entered the barracks.

“Now the real question, bitch, is: are you brave or just stupid?” The decanus drew a very long machete and charged with it held high. Ker blocked the machete above her head with her knife. She then kicked the decanus in the chest before he could withdraw the long weapon. He staggered back and Ker advanced. He swung wildly trying to keep her at a distance. She stayed back, waiting for the right swing. When she saw her chance she dove in; Pip-boy deflecting the long blade, knife straight into his heart. She held firm on the decanus’s weapon hand as she twisted the knife. She then withdrew the knife and let the body fall to the floor. After making sure he was dead, Ker left the barracks.

She was panting slightly from her exertions as she approached the sniper. Behind his sunglasses he had a strange look in his eyes. He watched her cautiously as she approached.

_Sniper’s performance: adequate. Daughter’s performance: adequate. No injuries sustained._

“Son of a bitch!” They both heard from the approaching ranger. “Where the hell do you learn to fight like that?!”

Ker shook her head. “That doesn’t matter. You’re boys on the crosses **matter**.” She said as she walked past the ranger toward the crosses. She was already checking the boys over when Boone caught up to her.

“These two are still in good enough shape to take down. But this one… He’ll need to be treated before we move him to stand a chance.” Boone just looked at her strangely. “Give me a hand?” She prompted. He moved to help her and together they got the two troopers down. The ranger joined them as they sat the second one down. “Gimmi your supplies, ranger.” Ker said impatiently.

“What?” The ranger asked, surprised.

“Stims, Med-X, anything. I’d use my own but I don’t have anything.”  She said earnestly. The ranger grumbled but pulled out a Stimpak. “Thanks.” Ker swiped it and went over to the last soldier and jammed it into his neck. “Where’s the nearest NCR outpost?” Ker asked aloud.

“Forlorn Hope. An hour north.” Boone answered her.

“Three injured troopers, one badly.” She thought aloud. “Need a stretcher. Three able bodied, one ranger. Two carrying the stretcher. Legion’s probably still got scouts out. Ugh…” Ker shook her head as she checked the still crucified soldier. “Shit. You’ll need more hands to get there safely.” Ker huffed. “Ranger, can you find or make a stretcher? I’ll tend to these troopers until you do.” Ker pulled out her canteen and the water she carried and passed it to the two sitting troopers. The she went to the crucified one and tried to get him to drink.

“You think he can be saved?” Ker heard coldly from behind her.

_Ker will save him! She’s awesome!_ Sable cheered.

She smiled sadly. “Mercy killing is a last resort. We still have options.” She checked the pulse on the soldier. It was at least a little stronger. She looked for the nametag on the trooper. “Rollins.” She said to him. “I wanna take you down.” She said softly. “Can I do that?” The soldier’s eyes opened slightly. “Alright. This will hurt. Boone?” Boone came over and they carefully cut the ropes and eased him down to lie on the ground. Ker was glad he survived the move.

The ranger and his three troopers returned then with a stretcher. While the soldiers got the wounded ready for transport, Ker and Boone looted the camp. Ker grabbed the three varmint rifles as well as the little bit of ammo for them. She noticed the three legionaries who had wielded them all died at their posts to gunshots. She also grabbed any food she could find. Otherwise there was little in terms of loot. Ker reloaded her second and last clip into her 9mm and headed back to the wounded.

“Boone, you mind leading the way and keeping watch? I’ll handle one end of the stretcher.” Boone led the way and the ranger took up the rear. They had to go around the minefield to the north, which added more time to the trip but by late afternoon, they were in sight of the camp. Ker saw one of the sentries signal toward the camp. By the time they entered the camp it was alive with activity. A solider took the stretcher from her and the wounded were hurried toward the infirmary.

_Stay alert. The NCR is not to be trusted._ Ker’s father whispered.

Ker was nervous. This was her first time in an actual NCR camp and she wasn’t sure what to expect. She just stepped back against a tent and tried to stay out of the way. Someone with authority walked toward the new arrivals.

“Ranger Milo, what the **hell** is going on here?!”

“Well major, that woman and the sniper came to visit Nelson. They didn’t like the new residents and the woman just… charged in there like an angry deathclaw and tore up the place with covering fire from the sniper.” Ranger Milo explained. The major looked intently at Ker. “The Legion no longer occupies Nelson.”

Without taking his eyes off Ker, the major spoke. “You’re telling me a single woman with a lone sniper as backup took out the whole Legion force at Nelson?” Ker stared hard back at the major.

“Yes, sir.” The Ranger confirmed.

“I find that somewhat hard to believe.” The major admitted.

_Of course you do._

Ker snorted. “Of course you do.” She muttered. She felt Boone look over from beside her.

“I’m gonna need some names to put in my report if the higher ups are ever gonna believe this.” The major prompted.

_Be vague. They don’t need any information on you._

“Uhh… sure.” Ker began. She pointed to herself. “Courier.” Then to Boone. “Sniper.” She said with a twisted grin.

“I see. A courier and a sniper, huh?” The major shook his head. “No one will **ever** believe this. Nonetheless you did save three troopers and it’s too late to make it anywhere safe for the night so you’re welcome to stay. We’ve got more than enough beds and there’s food available in the mess hall.”

“Umm… Thanks.” Ker said hesitantly. The crowd of soldiers started to disperse until it was just Ker and Boone left. She looked over to Boone. “That worked out well. You’re a better shot then I was expecting.”

Boone jerked his head to the side, indicating a secluded spot away from the activity of the camp. He then walked off in that direction. Ker hesitated but followed. Once they were out of view, he raised his rifle, still in his hands from the walk back from Nelson, and leveled it at Ker. He stood with the barrel about a foot from her chest. Ker’s gaze went dark as she eyed the sniper and looked for her opening.

_Expected. Use caution. Camp is full of his allies. He’s given himself extra distance for safety. It won’t be enough._ Ker agreed with her father.

“Are you Legion?” He asked through gritted teeth.

Ker’s father laughed hardily. _Wrong assumption, sniper._

Ker was momentarily surprised but kept her angry glare on him. “That’s a bold question.”

“Answer it.” He ground out.

“If I say no, would you even believe me?” Ker said roughly. He was probably a foot taller than her and built far sturdier than her but it didn’t matter. She noticed the slight tremble in the sniper’s hands. He was also sweating even in the cool night air. She would capitalize on that.

“I might.”

“Then lower the gun.”

“Answer the ques-“ Ker took her chance and slipped out of the way of the gun. The shot sounded as she caught the barrel in one hand. She used her other hand to roughly slam into his elbow, hard enough to be painful but not hard enough to break anything, and then disarm him. With one more twist she was behind him with the rifle pulled back against his throat. His hands came up to pull at the rifle across his throat. Ker had him awkwardly pinned but she knew in another second the rest of the soldiers would show up.

_Resist the urge to kill him or be prepared to deal with the whole camp. This is not the time, daughter._

“I’m not Legion.” Ker hissed beside his ear. “I hate them almost as much as you do.” She released the rifle when the sound of running soldiers got close. The scene the soldiers came around the corner to see was Ker standing innocently and unarmed while Boone was knelt down with one hand on his rifle and the other on his throat.

“Everything alright over here, sir?” One of the soldiers asked Boone.

“Fine.” Boone said quickly. “Killin’ dinner.”

_Hmm… A bold move, sending away his reinforcements._ Her father sounded impressed.

The soldier eyed the pair but eventually nodded and headed off with the rest of the soldiers.

Boone stood and got into Ker’s face. ”If you’re not Legion, why fight back?!” He growled.

“Because that’s the **second** time you pulled a gun on me.” Ker growled back. “I let it slide once. Not twice.”

“You know their fighting style, their tactics, their methods; even their torture techniques but you’re not NCR.” He seethed in barely controlled rage. “How?!”

_Oh no. Don’t freak out Ker!_ Sable said quickly. _Deep breaths…_

“What are looking for, huh?! My life story?! Fuck **that**!” Ker almost shouted. “But I don’t think I’m getting out of here without answering your stupid questions! And while I could probably kill you first at this close range, I don’t feel like wiping out an entire NCR outpost after I do it!” Ker shrugged off her duster. “You want answers? They say a picture is worth a thousand words.” Ker turned around and pulled her shirt up off her back. “Take a good, long look at my **familiarity** with the Legion.” The cool air on her almost bare back made Ker shiver in the night. Boone was silent. She knew how bad the scars looked and she knew he would recognize them for what they were. Ker counted to ten in her head then dropped her shirt and bent to pick up her duster. “Happy now?” Ker growled as she stalked away.

_Too much information divulged to a questionable associate._

_Go get some air Ker. Try not to kill anyone!_ Sable pleaded.

Ker stalked straight through camp and out the other end. As much as she wanted to just march off into the desert, it was dark and she was tired from a hard day. She climbed to the top of a cliff that overlooked the camp and sat near the edge as she tried to calm down. She wasn’t sure how long she sat before her stomach started to growl. She checked her pack but she had little in the way of food. The NCR had offered her access to their mess hall, but Ker didn’t feel like going back into the camp. She’d have to scavenge food in the morning.

_It’s really too bad._ Sable began. _I wanted to help the sniper._

_A trustworthy sniper would indeed be useful but this one is broken._

_Of course he’s broken! He lost everything!_

_Irrelevant. Sniper is a soldier. If he wants revenge he should go out and seek it, not brood and mope._

_That’s pretty cruel._ Sable chided.

_The world is cruel._

The crunch of soil from behind her had Ker on her feet with gun drawn in a heartbeat. The figured paused. Even in the dull light she recognized the beret and rifle. She holstered her gun and sat back down with a thump.

“Fuck off.” Ker said nonchalantly.

“A peace offering.”

Ker glanced over her shoulder and he tossed a box of pre-war food toward her. She caught it suspiciously. “Why?”

“I didn’t know.”

“Yeah well, now you do.” Ker heard soft footsteps behind her.

“Not many people get away from the Legion.”

_Not many people have your training, daughter._

“The wasteland isn’t done with me yet.” Ker said matter-of-factly. They both went silent as Ker ate.

“I thought you might ask me to kill those soldiers. Mercy killing is expected of NCR snipers.” Ker looked up as he broke the silence. “The Legion likes to torture their prisoners within sight of NCR positions. We get called on to end it. I've had my share. Some of them, you think, maybe you could've gotten them out. Maybe it's not the Legion that got them killed. Maybe it's your orders and you following them.”

_Oh my god! I didn’t think it was possible to feel worse for the sniper!_ Sable cried. _Say something Ker! Something cheery and uplifting!_

Ker let the silence envelope them while she thought of the right response. “The Legion does it for exactly that reason. They know it hurts us in ways a machete never could. Sadly, it always needs to be the last option. But if it ever becomes your first option,” Ker glanced over at Boone who was looking at her intently. “Lay down your rifle, because you’ve already lost.” Ker couldn’t make out the expression on Boone’s face. Surprise maybe? It didn’t really matter to her.

_Or… that… I suppose. You’re really not good at this whole cheering up thing, are you Ker?_

“You sound like you’ve been there.” Boone asked, their eyes still locked. Ker pointedly looked away.

_Sniper already has too much information._

“Drop it.” She said sternly. He didn’t press the issue. They were silent for a while. “Wanna try this whole trust thing, again? Not many duos can take on 40 legionaries.”

Ker’s father exploded at this. _Alert! Critical failure at decision making. Rescind offer immediately._

“Think it’s worth a try.”

_Yes! We get to try and help the sniper again!_ Sable said excitedly.

“No more pointing guns at me.” Ker stipulated.

“Fair enough.” After a lengthy silence he spoke again. “Staying here all night?” Ker didn’t trust the NCR yet. She heard him sigh and saw him produce a bedroll from his pack she didn’t know he had. He started laying it out a short distance away.

“You don’t have to stay with me.” Ker said in surprise.

“We’re partners.” Was all he said. He laid his pack and rifle nearby and settled in. “Wake me and I’ll take watch.”

_Partners_. The word alone made her shiver in the cool night. Someone she had to trust, someone she had to look out for. They’d gotten their frustrations out of the way. He seemed to trust her now, trust her more at least. And Ker figured she trusted him, partly. He’d had several chances to kill her already. Ker stared at her new partner’s back in surprise. This was not what she had expected. There was a secure camp of his allies less than fifty yards away, yet he chose to camp in the desert, with only her to watch his back. Now **that** was trust… or maybe…

_Ker, are you sure about this?_ Sable whispered. _I mean traveling companions I can see. But partners? Could this not turn out very badly?_

_Yes._ Ker agreed. _It very well could._

Ker sat in the moonlight and took time to appreciate the things that usually go unnoticed. She wasn’t in pain, she wasn’t hungry, and she wasn’t cold. She listened to the tossing and turning of the sniper. She heard him mumble from time to time and she thought she could make out the word Carla. She knew he didn’t get much sleep. Nightmares were something she was quite familiar with. When it was time to wake Boone, she stood up, only for him to sit up in the bedroll. He got up and took her spot by the cliff. Ker headed to a decent looking spot by a nearby rock.

“Use the bedroll.” She heard him say. She hesitated, and then made her way over to it.

“Thanks.” She said as she curled up under the still warm blankets. Ker was asleep in an instant. Years of long days and very short nights had taught her to sleep easily, if not deeply. She slept lightly, subconsciously still not trusting her new companion. She roused slightly when she thought she heard something. Then she felt a hand on her shoulder and she reacted before she could think. In one graceful movement she grabbed the hand, pushed its owner to the ground and sat on his chest with her free hand on her knife. Her mind immediately noticed it was her new partner. Boone only had a chance to glare before she was on her feet.

“God. Dammit!” She shouted as she paced toward the cliff. “I’ve been on my own for a long time.” She tried to explain. She turned to look at him and saw he was sitting up.

“Should have been expecting that, after seeing you fight.” He started to gather up the bedroll. “Where to next?”

“I want to check on Rollins, see if he made it through the night. Then I have business on the Strip.”

“I thought we were hunting legionaries.” Boone said with more than a hint of disappointment.

“As you are no doubt aware, I take great offense at people trying to kill me. I’m owed a bit of revenge. After that, we’ll need to gather information on Legion activity.” Ker explained as she led the way back to the camp.

“He made it.” Ker said as she left the infirmary and headed toward Boone. She noticed his attention was elsewhere. “What is it?”

“Something’s up. Come on.” He jogged off and Ker followed toward the largest tent. Boone grabbed one of the men rushing out. “What going on, private?”

The private’s eyes went wide and he stuttered as he started. “The-the-the Great Khans, sir! They took a patrol hostage in Boulder City.”

“Great Khans?!” Ker asked quietly in surprise.

“What’s the brass gonna do?” Boone asked gruffly.

“The order’s still working its way up the chain of command but the major it pretty sure they’ll call for an assault. Hostages or not.”

Boone released the private and he ran off. “Goddammit.” He said quietly.

“Where’s Boulder city? Nearby?” Ker asked, hopefully.

“Half a day north.”

Ker thought these might be the same Khans she was looking for. “Let’s go then.”

Boone turned to look at her and raised an eyebrow skeptically. “To save **NCR** troopers?”

_Lie_. Her father ordered.

Ker considered lying but she was **supposed** to trust this man. She sighed loudly. “Partly? I’m also looking for some Great Khans.” She admitted.

“Let’s go then.” He agreed and lead the way north. The way north was quick and quiet but Ker was less tense about her traveling companion now. Ker took stock of her meager supplies. One 9mm clip with 13 bullets, barely any food and only a bit of water.

“Traveling really light, there.” Boone said as Ker sorted her pack as they walked.

“The guy who tried to kill me also robbed me.” She said as she fit her pack back in place. Halfway to Boulder City, Ker wandered off the road and came back with half a dozen prickly pear fruit. She handed half off to Boone and they continued on without a word. As they walked it became more and more apparent to Ker that the sniper was unwell. He was sweating, his hands were shaking and Ker could see him gritting his teeth, against pain she assumed. She said nothing.

_Boulder City: snipers killed the Legion commanders and lead the rest into the explosive-rigged city._ Her father explained.

Ker had heard of Boulder City but she’d never been there. It was exactly the mess she expected. She walked into the town and found it mostly empty, except for a group of NCR troopers around one particular building. Ker headed toward the soldiers.

A solider ran up to meet them. Ker tensed as he ran toward them and her hand hovered near her knife. “We've got a situation with some Great Khans right now. The brass at McCarran has ordered me to lock down the ruins until it's been resolved.”

“What’s going on with the Great Khans?” Ker asked.

“One of my patrols was on its way back from Novac when it came under fire from the Great Khans. They radioed for reinforcements, but instead of waiting for us, they chased the Khans into the ruins where they were caught in a crossfire. No deaths, but not all of the squad got out. The Khans have Private Ackerman and Private Gilbert as hostages.”

“I’ll go talk to the Great Khans. See if I can work out a deal or something.” Ker said even though she wanted to kill the Great Khans herself.

_Adequate subterfuge._

“Normally, I'd turn you down since I have no idea who you are, but considering that the hostages are as good as dead when we attack... All right, I'm going to give you a chance to talk to the Great Khans. Their leader is a man named Jessup. If we hear shooting, we'll be coming in, but it'll probably be late for you.”

“Fine.” Ker growled. She looked over her shoulder to her partner. “Following me in?”

Boone hesitated. “I got your back.” He said.

Ker was again surprised by her new partner. “Alright, let’s keep our hands where they can see them.” Ker walked toward the building, with her hands open at her sides. She noticed a few of the Khans looked surprised and were whispering to each other. She reached the door and upon opening it she stepped inside.

“What the hell? You're that courier Benny wasted back in Goodsprings. You're supposed to be dead!” She heard when she stepped inside. She recognized the face and with two fast strides she was across the room and had Jessup by the shirt. She pushed him up against the wall. She heard all the guns around her come up and knew they were aimed at her.

“I. Got. **Better**.” Ker ground out menacingly.

“And here I thought us Great Khans were tough to kill.” Jessup gulped.

“Khans tough to kill?” She hissed. “The only thing stopping me from killing every last one of you is the fact that you have hostages.”

_Assessing situation. Threat level high. Success probable. Injuries likely._

“You think you can take us all on?!” Jessup asked with a hint of fear in his voice. “Don’t make me laugh.” He tried to knock Ker’s hands off him. “You went down without a fight!”

“You **ambushed** me with **twenty** fucking men and knocked me out!” Ker held tighter to his shirt and forced him into the wall. “And then you let that classless fuck **execute** me! All for what?! Huh?! A **metal** poker chip?!” Ker was pissed. “Is that what **Great** Khans do?! Rob and kill strangers in the desert?! I should take some tips from the Legion when I kill you and do it nice and slow.” She seethed.

“Courier.” She heard a gruff voice from behind. “The hostages.”

She glanced back at her partner. His gun was up and aimed at the only other person in the room properly holding their gun. She looked back to Jessup. She let go of his shirt with a low growl. “Where’s the fucking poker chip?”

“Don't have it. Benny stole it, right before he stabbed us in the back. He's probably back at the Strip by now, laughing at me.” Jessup explained carefully.

“Benny?” She growled.

“He's one of the Chairmen, big shots who run The Tops casino in New Vegas. A friend from the city contacted me with info on a big job. I should've known that the caps were too good to be true, but there was still no way I could pass up the chance.”

“How much **was** my life worth?” She spat at him. He just looked away. “Fine. You tried to kill me. I want the hostages and we’re even.”

“And if I say no?” Jessup asked, a little worried.

“Then I will personally make sure the NCR kills every single one of you when they come in here.”

“And what’s stopping you or the NCR from killing us once they’re free?” Jessup asked, not moving away from the wall.

“My word.” She growled.

“The NCR’s word is worth shit.”

“Mine isn’t.” She waited. “I’m losing patience.”

“Fine! I can't believe I'm doing this, but all right, the hostages can go.” Jessup reached toward his pocket and Ker went for her knife. “Nice and slow, see? It's Benny's lighter. A souvenir for you. Shove it up his ass when you catch up with him.” She took the ornate lighter. Then turned and stormed out.

Once she was outside she saw that the hostages were already freed. She stomped back to officer. He didn’t look happy. “I'm glad you were able to get my people freed, but there's a new problem. I just got orders to take out the Great Khans, hostages or not.”

“The Great Khans let the hostages go. I gave my **word** you’d give them freedom in exchange.” Ker was furious.

“My hands are tied. I can't go against orders... can I?”

_Escalate the situation._

“How bout now?” Ker drew her pistol and pointed it at the officer. “Tell your men to stand down and let the Great Khans go. When the brass asks, tell em a trigger happy courier threatened you and your men’s lives if you didn’t comply. Saves you a court martial and keeps my word.”

“Alright. The Great Khans are free to go.” The officer shook his head and Ker lowered her gun. The NCR soldiers stood down and the Great Khans made a run for it.

_Everyone is safe! Everyone is safe!_ Sable cheered. _Ker wins again!_

When everything was clear, Ker holstered her weapon. “Fucking NCR.” She said as she stormed away. She heard footsteps behind her and glanced over her shoulder to see Boone following her. “You mean that little stunt didn’t scare you off?” She said, a little surprised.

“You saved the hostages, the Great Khans and the Lieutenant’s career at the cost of your own reputation.” He said as he shouldered his rifle. “I can’t think of a better outcome.”

Ker almost chuckled at that. “I wanna put some distance between us and the NCR for a while. Anywhere nearby that’s not an NCR camp?” She asked.

“Trading post.”

“Alright let’s go there. Now that this Benny character has made it to the Strip things just got a lot more complicated.” She sighed and they headed west.


	3. Withdrawal

# Chapter 3: Withdrawal

 

Ker **still** didn’t have enough caps for more ammo. By the time her and Boone had reached the 188, she’d managed to gather a fair bit of Xander root though. Along the way, Boone’s sharp eyes had spotted a lone gecko and he’d taken it down in one shot. Ker traded the Xander root for some food to go with the gecko and as much water as she could get.

As much as camping in the trading post was safer, Ker preferred the wastes. Boone accompanied her over to a secluded, sheltered spot within sight of the trading post. Ker went about preparing the gecko while Boone made a fire.

“What’s wrong with you?” Ker asked conversationally as she put the steaks on the fire.

“Nothing.” Boone said sternly.

“I’d be more inclined to believe you if weren’t sweating profusely.” Ker thought for a second without looking up from the cooking food.

_Assessing situation._

“Your hands are shaking, and it’s obvious you’re in some kind of pain.” Boone didn’t respond so Ker kept prodding. “You reeked of alcohol when we first met. Does alcohol work like a drug? Are you in withdrawal?” Ker asked finally looking toward her companion. She could see the snarl on his face. He wanted to deny it, but he didn’t. “Since you lost Carla, then?” She assumed. “Can’t afford any fixer. Wouldn’t buy it if I could.”

“I’m fine.”

“If you say so.” Ker leaned back against a rock and watched the steaks cook. “Tell me one thing though: Did it help?”

Boone jerked his head up angrily. Was she judging him? He met her cold grey eyes but found nothing there, no judgement, no accusation, no anger; just an honest question. “Sometimes.” He sighed. “For a little while.”

“I never tried drowning my sorrows. It was never really an option for me.” Ker said pensively, thinking back. “It makes you forget?” She asked curiously.

Boone grunted an acknowledgement.

“I can see the appeal then.” Ker reached into her light pack. She pulled out a bottle of water and tossed it over the fire to Boone who caught it clumsily. “Drink all you can, try and get it out of your system.” Ker paused for a second. “Will it get worse?”

“I don’t know.” Ker just nodded and pulled some food off the fire to eat.

“I think there’s a vault nearby.” She said after they finished eating and she was playing with her Pip-Boy. “Its location seems to be preprogrammed into my Pip-Boy. Might be worth exploring. Maybe I can find some decent supplies.”

“Fine.”

Ker looked up from her Pip-Boy. “Try and get some sleep.”

Boone tossed and turned in the bedroll. His hands wouldn’t stop shaking and his head wouldn’t stop pounding. Finally after what felt like hours, he fell into a fitful sleep.

Ker finally heard Boone’s breathing even out not long before her shift was up. She didn’t wake him. She could function on only a few hours of sleep.

_Stupid. Sniper’s health is not you concern._ Ker’s father chastised.

_I think its very kind! He looks exhausted. I feel so bad for him! I wish you could do more to help him._ Sable added. _There’s more to the story though, isn’t there?_

_Almost certainly. Sniper has secrets._

_So do I._ Ker pointed out.

Around 3:00am, Ker heard him mumbling again. Then he started breathing heavily. “Boone.” Ker called from her spot by the small fire. He didn’t wake. “Boone!” Ker shouted with authority. Boone sat up suddenly in the bedroll. He looked around in confusion before catching his breath.

“Your turn.” Ker said when he finally looked over at her. He vacated the bedroll without a word and sat near the fire. Ker shrugged out of her duster and crumpled it into a ball as she walked over to the bedroll. “Here.” She said as she dropped the duster in his lap. “Sweating like that in this cold isn’t good for you.” She then walked over and settled into the bedroll.

Dawn came very fast and the first rays of sunlight woke Ker. She sat up to find Boone exactly where he was when she went to sleep. The only difference was now he had her duster around his shoulders. They ate the leftovers from dinner for breakfast and Ker tossed Boone another bottle of water. As they got ready to go, Boone handed back her duster and they headed toward the nearby vault.

It didn’t take long to reach the location on Ker’s Pip-Boy. Once there, a quick scout of the area turned up the tunnel in the rocks. When they entered the tunnel, Ker immediately heard the sounds of life. She drew her pistol with her right hand and her knife with her left. Supporting her pistol with her knife hand they explored the cave. The insects in the cave were no trouble and soon they came upon the open massive cog door of the vault.

“Dammit. Guess it’s already been looted. Might still be some useful stuff left though.” Ker shrugged and entered the vault. As she led the way through the vault, she kept glancing over at Boone, noting her looked worse than the night before. As they explored the rooms she heard him occasionally stumble behind her. _What the hell have I gotten myself into?_ She thought. Ker felt the shift in the atmosphere before she knew what it was. She heard Boone stop behind her and out of the corner of her eye saw him raise his rifle.

_Alert! Poor decisions have consequences!_

“Not this again.” Ker groaned as she turned to face him and lowered her gun.

“Where is she?” Boone ground out menacingly.

“Who?” Ker asked confused.

“My wife, **goddammit**.”

_Something is very wrong._ Sable said worriedly.

Ker’s initial response was going to be the truth, then she thought better of it as she looked down the barrel of his rifle. She tried to see his eyes behind his sunglasses, they looked glassy. “Boone, it’s me, Ker. I helped you in Novac.”

“I don’t **care** who you are. **Where** is my wife?” He growled.

“Look around Boone. She’s not here. It’s just you and me.” Ker tried desperately to bring him around. She had a 9mm pistol and her knife. He was aiming a .308 caliber rifle at her chest that would likely kill her at this range. He looked around in confusion.

“She’s not here.” He said sadly.

“No, she’s not.”

“What did you **do** with her?” He growled. “You’re with **them** aren’t you?!”

“Oh for fuck’s sake, Boone. You **know** I’m not!” Ker shouted at him. She saw a spark of recognition in his eyes.

“Then… I… I need to find her.” He said and turned around briskly.

_Kill him!_

_Stop him!_

Ker couldn’t let him leave. He was confused, maybe hallucinating. He’d die if she let him out of her sight. He was bigger than her; stronger than her. She had to be fast. “Dammit, Boone.” She dropped her pistol and knife and lunged for his back. He was faster than she expected her would be in his current state. He turned and caught her in the chest with the butt of his rifle. Ker was knocked back a step, just enough room for Boone to aim. He fired. Ker dove beside the gun, ignoring the searing pain along her ribs. She knocked the rifle out of his hands and it clattered to the ground loudly. He fought back trying to overpower her, but whatever skill he might have had he wasn’t using. Ker deftly dodged and snaked behind Boone putting him in a chokehold. Boone slammed her back into the wall behind them, trying to dislodge her but Ker held fast as the seconds ticked by. Soon the lack of oxygen became apparent as Boone’s blows became slow and weak. When he collapsed to his knees, his weight pulled Ker down with him. She held on a few more seconds before releasing and letting him fall the metal floor.

_Well executed. Disarm him and take his supplies._ Her father tried to order her.

“Fuck!” Ker shouted angrily as she stomped a few feet away and then back to Boone. “You are one **lucky** bastard! You fucking **shot** me and I’m **still** gonna save your sorry ass!” She looked down to the deep graze mark along the right side of her ribs. It was long and bleeding profusely but otherwise not serious. Abandoning inhibition she reached down and pulled Boone’s pack off his back. A quick sort through found a small, military issue first aid kit. It wasn’t much but it was something. Ker sat down on the floor and retrieved her gun and knife, then she proceeded to use the med kit to stitch the wound closed.

“No fucking stims.” She growled through gritted teeth as she worked. “No fucking med-x. This is fucking fabulous! If I pass out from blood loss we’re both fucked.” She ended up using all the supplies to stop the bleeding as fast as she could.

When she finally got her strength back, she pushed herself to her feet. Then she carefully bent down to grab Boone’s rifle. She checked the clip; it had four bullets left, then she headed deeper into the vault.

Boone woke to a familiar pounding in his head. He was probably late for his shift in the nest.  Absently he reached over to where the nightstand was to find a little hair of the dog. There was no bottle. There was no nightstand. He finally opened his eyes. He wasn’t in Novac, that much was obvious from the metal ceiling and walls. Then where…

“Finally awake?” He heard a rough female voice from nearby and strained to focus on it. The speaker was a small young woman, perched on a metal cabinet across from him. She wore a whitish tank top and cargo pants; her right side was hidden from his view by the darkness. He didn’t recognize her in the dull light, and that put him in panic mode. His rifle should be beside the bed. He quickly reached to where it should be.

“Don’t bother.” The woman said as she held up his rifle for him to see, then dropped it back into her lap with a groan.

“What going on? Who are you? Where am I?” Boone demanded.

“Take a moment to sift through those fuzzy thoughts.” The woman said tiredly. “And if you try to rush me, I **will** kill you.”

Boone tried to focus past the pounding headache, but she was right, things were fuzzy. He tried to focus on the person in the room with him. A young woman, easily a foot shorter than him but he still knew she was **deadly**. How did he know that? Because he’d seen her fight in Nelson. Nelson? When did he go to Nelson? Nelson was occupied by the Legion now. _Not anymore._ He remembered the fight; the courier had been vicious and relentless. He left Novac to clear out Nelson with her. Then they…. It all came flooding back.

“Courier?”

“Got it in one.” She said tiredly.

“What happened?” He asked as he tried to sit up. He was nauseous and the world was spinning. He was also sweating and his hands were shaking. He tried to focus on the world around him; metal walls, metal doors, metal floors and ceilings. “The vault.” He said remembering traveling to the vault.

“What’s the last thing you remember?” Ker asked, glad he remembered something.

“We found the door to the vault open. I followed you in to see what we could find. Then…” Boone trailed off, after that things didn’t make sense.

“Then what?” Ker prodded.

“What happened?” He said sternly.

“Then. What?” Ker replied in kind.

Boone didn’t want to answer. It didn’t make sense. “It was just a dream.”

“Tell me.” Ker pushed.

Boone hesitated and then shook his head. “I found out Carla was missing. I told Manny, but he said she wasn’t there. I had to find her. Had to kill the Legion bastards who took her.”

Ker cocked her head to the side. “That’s it?”

“Yeah. What happened?” Boone said earnestly.

“I think you were hallucinating.” Ker said as she eased herself off the cabinet. In doing so she brought herself more fully into the light. He saw her shirt was soaked with blood under her right arm.

“Shit!” Boone said as he struggled to his feet. “What got you?!”

“You did.”

“What?” Boone stopped cold, rethinking his plans to move closer to her.

“You said you needed to find Carla and went to leave. I couldn’t let you go in the state you were in. I couldn’t disarm you fast enough.” Ker said wincing.

“What?!” Boone said in shock. “I…” His knees gave out and he sat down hard on the bed behind him.

“You’re lucky that I’m too goddamned **tired** to be angry.” Ker said shaking her head and leaning against the wall behind her. “You were out all day and all night.” She slid down the wall into a seated position. “I think I’m gonna pass out now.” She keeled over onto her left side on the ground. “Don’t do anything too stupid…” She mumbled before trailing off.

Boone was left alone in the dimly lit room. He stared at the courier, collapsed in a pile against the wall several feet from him. She still had his rifle in her hand as she slept. Judging by how fast her breathing evened out he guessed she was exhausted. He couldn’t believe that he’d shot her. He could’ve killed her. He hadn’t thought his drinking had gotten **that** bad.

Since Carla died, he had kept up with his regular nights in the dinosaur. In order to accomplish that, he needed to stay awake. In order to stay awake he needed sleep during his downtime. But after everything he’d done, sleep was elusive. He could barely get a few hours without waking to nightmares. That’s where the alcohol helped. It made the dreams go away. It made him forget, at least for a little while. But the longer he relied on the alcohol to sleep the more of it he seemed to need. He didn’t even know how much he was drinking a day before he left Novac.

And now he found himself with **more** blood on his hands. He had shot the **only** person who had helped him since Carla died. He could’ve killed her when all she was doing was trying to keep him safe. She could have let him go. Let him wander deliriously through the desert until he passed out; an easy target for anything passing by. Instead she risked her life to **subdue** him. Other than the withdrawal effects the only pain he felt from her bringing him down was a sore neck. She had been armed too; she could have just shot him and left him to die. What had he done to deserve this kindness from an almost total stranger?!  He didn’t even know her **name**!

Boone dropped his spinning head into his hands. As he did he noticed both of their packs on the floor beside the bed, half covered with the courier’s bloody duster. He pulled them over. He found the courier’s pack completely empty except for an empty canteen. His pack wasn’t much better. There were a dozen .308 rounds, the bedroll, his lighter and his compass. His med kit was, unsurprisingly, gone. The remaining item did surprise him though. **His** canteen was still full. Had she gone without so he’d have water when he regained consciousness? He didn’t know. He didn’t want to drink it if it was all they had left but if he had been out a day and a night like she said, it would explain how thirsty he was. He had no choice. He was in no condition to forgo water. He drank, carefully and slowly. He downed half of the canteen before he could stop himself. He put the rest back into his pack. The courier had been injured quite badly if the blood was any indication, she’d need the water just as bad, if not worse, than him.

Feeling at least slightly better, Boone got to his feet and went over to the sleeping woman. He carefully knelt down beside her and lifted her shirt. _This is fine_. He assured himself. _I just need to check the wound._ He saw a long, deep gash cut across her side, going between two ribs. The wound had been stitched together quite well. He was surprised to see that; given the location of the wound, it must have been awkward to stitch. Looking at the wound, he was able to see a portion of the scars on her back. There were more scars on her side too. As well as down her arms. Her wrists were also bad; the white scars obvious even in the dull light. Whatever had happened to her, whatever she’d been through, it had taken a serious toll on her body. This woman had gone through hell.

Boone took a moment to will away the dizziness then reached out toward the courier. Carefully, he slid an arm under her knees and around her shoulders. He picked her up, surprised by her lightness. As he did, her hand slipped off his rifle. He took a few heavy steps and put her down gently on the bed.

Ker woke in pain, as usual. Her side ached and she was stiff. She opened her eyes and recognized the vault. She sat upright quickly, ignoring the pain. She quickly scanned the room, attributing her disorientation to the fact that she had been moved. Her eyes stopped on the man sitting on the floor where she had collapsed.

“Figured you’d be out longer.” He said as he stood up.

“You took back your rifle.” Ker said sternly when she noticed it in his hands.

“Things are clearer now.” Boone took his canteen from his pack and passed it to Ker. She eyed him suspiciously but took the canteen and drank slowly. When she was done and had passed it back to him, he noticed it was still a quarter full. He offered it to her again.

“No. You need it more than I do.” She said as she dropped her legs over the side of the bed. “Besides, this is a vault. There might be access to clean water here.” Ker grit her teeth as she stood. She shook her head to clear the dizziness.

“You should get more rest.”

“Yeah, so should you, but we need supplies.” She gave a careful stretch. “You look better at least.” She said as she attempted to bend to pick up her pack and duster. She flinched as she bent and stood back up with a pained grunt.

“Here.” Boone bent and picked up her gear and passed it to her.

“Let’s go.” Ker lead the way, pistol in her right hand, left hand using the wall for support. They methodically explored the vault, gathering anything of value while on the lookout for food and water. Loot was scarce near the entrance but the deeper they went the more prewar goods they found; sensor modules, fission batteries and lots of persevered prewar cigarettes. Eventually they found an armoury but it had been striped clean except for a few odd rounds. Near the armoury though, they found a promising sign of loot.

“Locked door. Good sign. Know anything about hacking?” Ker asked her companion.

“Nothing.”

“Alright, let’s see what I can do.” Ker managed to hack the terminal after a few minutes. Inside they found a fair amount of random ammo, including a bunch of 10mm rounds. There were also several bottles of liquor on the table. Ker overtly stowed them in her pack.

“Things went to hell in this vault.” Ker said as she gathered more random ammo from behind a makeshift barricade.

Ker was tired, hungry, thirsty and in pain when they reached the door labeled cafeteria. They searched the entire interior.

“Here.” Boone finally called out. Under a stack of empty crates was one full of prewar food; eight boxes to be exact.

Ker went over the sink. “Maybe we’ll get lucky twice.” She turned on the facet. Black water poured out, but after running for a few seconds it cleared up. Ker brought her Pip-Boy close to it. “No rads. Better than the water in those flooded sections.” She filled her canteen and then drank greedily. Boone did the same.

With packs full and food and water acquired, Ker checked her Pip-Boy. “My Pip-Boy says its 6:00pm. I doubt we’d make it to the 188 before nightfall in this shape. Might as well crash in the dorms.”

A few minutes later Ker was sitting on a bed in one of the dorm rooms. Leaning back against the wall she ate slowly; silently dreading what she knew she had to do after she finished. Boone sat on another bed in the room also eating.

“Why did you stop me?” Boone asked after a lengthy silence.

“What?”

“From leaving. You could have shot me or let me go. Either way I wouldn’t have been a problem for you anymore. Why risk your life for someone you hardly know?”

_Sniper makes logical point. He should be dead._ Her father said smugly.

_Sniper doesn’t seem very grateful. More like disappointed?_ Sable said in confusion.

Ker thought carefully. “I will admit, a part of me did want to leave you where you fell after I brought you down. But **you** said we were partners. **I** know what that means. I had another partner, once. A long time ago, before I started traveling alone. You watch each other’s backs; trust each other with your lives.” Ker shook her head sadly. “Maybe, that’s not what you meant when you said it but it’s what I heard. Was I wrong?”

“No.”

Ker sighed and slouched against the wall. She then added quietly. “Also, I know what it’s like to go through hell. A little company along the way can’t hurt.” They were silent for a few minutes, and then Ker sat upright. “I’ve pushed this off long enough.” She rooted thought her pack and pulled out a bottle of whiskey she had found. Ker then got up and sat in one of the metal chairs. There she unscrewed the cap and pulled up her shirt to reveal the long stitched gash.

“Let me.” Boone stood and joined her. Ker handed over the bottle.

“Just be quick.” She said through gritted teeth. Boone nodded and quickly but carefully poured the alcohol over the wound. Ker didn’t make a sound as he worked. The only sign he saw of the pain he was inflicting was the tightened muscles around the wound and her ragged breathing.

“Finished.” Boone said and recapped the bottle. Ker just nodded in response. “You alright?” He asked in concern.

“I’ll live.”

Ker woke first. This deep in the vault and in the state they were both in, they’d decided not to keep watch. After the nightmare she’d had she wanted to do something to take her mind off it. Instead, she waited for Boone to wake. While she waited she sharpened her combat knife and thought. Ever since she’d assisted with the murder of Jeannie May, Ker found her thoughts drifting more and more toward things she had thought she’d put behind her.

Her thoughts wandered to her new partner. He was on the verge of self-destructing. She could see that. He was balancing on a knife’s edge; on one side, death by legionary, on the other, suicide. It wouldn’t take much to push him either way. The words she would say and the things she would do could influence him drastically. She had to be careful.

The thing was, she knew how he felt. She’d been there herself once. Who was she kidding? She was still there. The line she walked might be wider than a knife’s edge, but it wouldn’t take much to push her either way.

Maybe she should tell him. Ker stopped sharpening her knife when the thought came to her. Tell him… No, there was no point in sharing her life story with him if he really was looking for death by legionary. She’d keep it to herself and he wouldn’t ask. She would commit no more than necessary to this partnership, that way she wouldn’t be hurt if he fell off the knife’s edge.

_Everything is temporary; emotions, thoughts, people, scenery. Do not become attached._

“Shut up.” Ker said quietly as she shook her head to try and clear away her father’s voice.

“Something wrong?” The gravelly voice startled Ker.

“Yeah. I’m out of ammo. Used the last of it killing the critters down here.”

“What about what we found?”

“Lots of variety, but no 9mm. And no guns for the various ammo.”

Boone sat up in bed and dropped his legs over the side of the bed. “Here.” He pulled the spare magazine from his pistol holster and held it out to Ker. Ker hesitated for only a second before taking the offered ammo.

“Thanks.” She mumbled.

They left the vault a short while later and headed back to the 188.

“Your hands aren’t shaking anymore.” Ker said as they walked. She saw Boone look down at his hands. “Does that mean the worst is past?”

“I guess.”

They arrived at the 188 around noon. It took Ker an hour to sell everything they’d gathered. In exchange, Ker was able to get three 9mm clips as well as a dozen .308 rounds. She was also able to get a small emergency med kit, an assortment of food and some bottles of water. With the rest of the caps she bought a Stimpak and a new shirt. Ker applied the Stimpak to her side to kickstart the healing process. When all was said and done, Ker was broke, again.


	4. Strays

# Chapter 4: Strays

 

“No offense, but you look like you've traveled a long way down some bad roads. Where'd you come from?”

Ker looked up from her bowl of wasteland stew to see the woman in hooded robes that had spoken. Ker was sitting across from Boone at a table in the 188. Now this overly cheery woman was interrupting.

“None of your business.” Ker replied harshly.

“That's why I asked. My business is boring. You try trading and scavenging for a living and see if you don't start nosing into other people's affairs. Welcome. I'm Veronica. I live in a hole in the ground.” At this Boone finished eating; he stood and nodded to Ker. She nodded back and he left. Veronica immediately took his seat.

_I like her!_ Sable laughed.

“You live in a hole in the ground? Like a vault?” Ker asked, a bit curious.

“Well, a bunker, if you want to get technical. I think it sounds more interesting my way. But I'm not there much anymore. I'm usually out here picking up food and supplies for my family. Whatever they need.”

“So you just leave your family in the bunker?” Ker asked as she ate.

“Yeah. I'm not worried. They can handle themselves. But somebody has to get the groceries, know what I mean? And actually these days I think they'd rather have me out here anyway. But that's a whole other story. So, listen, can I ask you something on the level?” Veronica lowered her voice.

“Shoot.”

“I had a run-in with this group calling themselves the Brotherhood of Steel. Pretty strange bunch. Do you know anything about them?” She asked in almost a whisper.

_Brotherhood of Steel: A paramilitary organization, devoted to the recovery and preservation of pre-War technology and information. Currently in a war of attrition with the NCR in the west._ Ker’s father provided.

“I know who they are.” Ker thought carefully. “But I don't care about their agenda.”

“Yeah, it's pretty far out, right? Fixating on old technology just doesn't seem very relevant to most people's lives. Hey, so where are you headed, anyway?”

“Going to see an old friend on the Strip, eventually. But things are complicated.” Ker sighed pushing her finished stew aside.

“This is quite a journey you're going on, then. Must be an interesting relationship to have brought you all this way.”

“What’s it to you?”

“I'll be honest. You're the first person I've run across out here that looks like she can really handle herself. There are places I've never been to that'd be too dangerous for just me. What do you think? Maybe we could travel together, help each other out.” Veronica said wistfully.

“Can you use that power fist?” Ker asked.

“Trust me on this one. You'll be glad you brought me along. If I turn out to be a burden, we can part ways at any time. No hard feelings.”

“Where are you hoping to go?”

“Oh, nowhere in particular, really. Just hoping to see more of the world. Looking for a fresh perspective. I want to see how different groups have adapted to survive in the Mojave. See if there's something I can learn from.”

“I’m not traveling alone.” Ker informed.

“The surly guy with the red hat? Yeah he looks like loads of fun. That’s fine! The more the merrier!”

_I really like her!_ Sable laughed harder.

_Do not even consider it._

“I don’t know…”

“Well, one thing you should know, first, I guess. I asked you about the Brotherhood because I'm one of them. I know, I know. But I had to know how you'd react when I told you. We've made a lot of enemies.” Veronica said carefully.

“Your part of the Brotherhood? And you just… told me? Why?” Ker asked, astonished.

“Well, if we’re gonna travel together, we have to trust each other.”

“This wasteland never ceases to surprise me.” Ker shook her head. “Ok, you can come. But don’t tell Boone you’re Brotherhood. He’s NCR.”

“Boone’s the surly guy?”

“Yeah. We leave at dawn.” Ker got up and headed off. _What am I doing?! First one, now two?! Have I gone mad?_

_I believe so._ Her father said boldly.

_Nah-uhh! Ker’s making friends!_ Sable countered.

_Friends are not necessary. The sniper might be useful. The girl will not likely be useful._

Ker wanted to get some sleep but she couldn’t the arguing voices. She didn’t sleep well again, too many thoughts about what could go wrong.

Ker pulled herself to her feet as the first light lit the morning sky. She checked her supplies; three clips for the 9mm, a decent supply of water and some old world food. With that she headed to find breakfast.

“Good morning!” Veronica greeted happily from the table where she ate. She looked pensive for a second. “I never did get your name.”

“Courier, or Ker. Either is fine.” Ker said as she ordered some breakfast and joined her new companion. When they finished, they headed to the northern exit where they found Boone waiting for them. He raised his eyebrow as they approached.

“Boone, Veronica. Veronica, Boone.” Ker introduced. “Let’s go.” Ker started walking north toward the brightly lit Strip.

“So where we going?” Veronica asked happily.

“The Strip.” Ker answered.

“To meet your friend?” Veronica asked.

“Yeah.” Ker said darkly.

“No offense but you don’t exactly look like you’re rolling in caps. How do you plan on getting in?”

“What?” Ker asked, confused.

“There’s a two thousand cap credit check to get in.” Veronica explained.

Ker groaned. “Ugh. Of **course** there is.”

“Oh. Kay. So Boone, how’d you two meet?” Veronica asked. All she got was a glare and a grumble from the man. “Okay. Not big on conversation.”

The walk to the Strip was long. Veronica found neither of her companions were big talkers so she talked to herself. Neither told her to shut up.

“Freeside?” Ker asked staring up at the sign above the massive doors in the darkness.

“Freeside is the slum around the Strip. We have to go through it to get to the Strip.” Veronica explained.

“Freeside.” Ker thought carefully. “Don’t the Followers have an outpost here?”

“I think so.” Veronica replied.

“Maybe we can spend the night there.” Ker pushed the door open. Even though it was dark, Freeside was still lively. They walked by the vendors and bodyguards as they headed down the street. They reached an old fort of some kind and Ker saw the lab coats and doctor’s coats and knew she’d found the right place.

Ker headed over to the nearest doctor she saw. “Excuse me.”

“Hi, do you need assistance?” The woman asked happily.

“My companions and I are looking for a place to spend the night. Would we be able to stay here?” Ker asked.

“Of course. We have a few available beds in that tent over there.”

“Thank you.” Ker headed over to find three beds in the small tent. “Tomorrow we’ll see what’s to see in Freeside.”

A few hours later, Ker got out of bed and tiptoed out of the tent. She couldn’t sleep. Her head hurt and he side was itchy. She found a crate leaned up against the wall of the fort near a tent with a light on. She hopped up onto the crate and looked up at the stars. She wasn’t sure how long she sat there.

_Veronica is funny!_ Sable laughed.

_She is._ Ker agreed.

_But you didn’t laugh even once!_

_I didn’t feel like laughing._

_You never do._ Sable said sadly.

“I thought I’d be the only one up at this hour.” A friendly voice startled Ker out of deep thought.

“Sorry, doctor. Didn’t mean to bother you.” Ker replied.

“I'm just a researcher. Not even a particularly good one.” He laughed.

“What do you research?” Ker asked, oddly glad to have company.

“Oh, you know. Finding alternative treatments for common illnesses and injuries. Stimpaks out of barrel cacti and other fantastic improbabilities. As far as fruitless wastes of time go, it's quite noble in its aims.”

Sable laughed at the joke.

Ker was glad she was happy. “Why?” She asked to keep up the conversation.

“For the past hundred years or so, the Followers have managed to get by using salvaged medical supplies from the old world. But the side effect of medical success is that more people live longer. Funny how that works. Eventually, we'll run out of hospitals to loot. We need new ways to produce those supplies. Or maybe old ways, if this research goes anywhere.”

“I never thought about that.” Ker admitted. “You don’t sound too enthusiastic about it.”

“I'm enthusiastic about helping people, nihil novi sub sole.”

Ker leaned her head back and closed her eyes. “Give me a moment.” She thought for a second. “Nothing and below sun. I don’t remember novi.”

“You speak Latin?!” She heard the incredulity in the doctor’s voice.

“Some. Novi?” She prompted.

“Oh. New. Nothing new under the sun. Where did you learn?” He asked.

“You first.”

“Books. Sheet music. Gladiator movie holotapes. Bits and pieces here and there. The Followers have extensive libraries, but we all draw water from the same old well. Even Caesar.”

“What do you know about Caesar?” The doctor may have noticed Ker’s attempt to not answer his question.

“I don't know anything that the others couldn't tell you. Caesar was one of the Followers. Before my time, of course. He wanted to rebuild the new world in the image of the old. A sad story of good intentions gone bad. In that regard, he's hardly unique. If you set aside his leadership capabilities, extensive knowledge, and ruthless cunning, he's just another jerk who steps on people to get his way.”

“Just another jerk.” Ker repeated. “Why do you do research instead of providing medical assistance?”

“Not all Followers are ‘people persons.’ Besides, someone needs to do research. I have no problem with Julie sticking me back here. Absens Haeres Non Erit **.** Out of sight, out of mind. There are worse things one can be, though I do admit, it is a bit boring. Though it has a noble goal, I don't think this research will yield much fruit. No pun intended.”

“Absent heir will not be. You enjoy this then?”

“I'm fine doing research back here, even if it is a bit boring... and pointless... and a complete waste of time. Don't mind me. I'm just voicing my thoughts so they don't burrow out of my skull in a fit of abject despondency.”

Sable laughed again. Ker almost smiled. “In silvam ligna ferre.”

“To carry wood to the forest. Yes, that about sums it up.” The doctor smiled then paused. “You never did answer my question.”

Ker looked over at the doctor. “Refricare cicatricem.” She said grimly.

“I didn’t mean to pry, to rub open old scars.”

Ker sighed. “I guess I opened the way for it. Another time maybe? I’m starting to get a headache.”

“I might be able to help with that.” The doctor perked up.

“I doubt it. Can’t cure being shot in the head.”

“What?” The doctor looked confused. Ker brushed aside her hair to show the rough scar. “You survived a bullet to the head?!”

“Barely.”

“How?!”

“A good doctor in Goodsprings.”

“Wait. You wouldn’t happen to be that courier on the radio?”

Ker frowned at that. If the radio knew then Benny might know too. Damn. She dropped her pounding head into her hands.

“Are you in pain?” The doctor asked concerned.

“More now than usual. I’ll deal with it.” Ker rested her head in her hands.

“Can I… take a look? Maybe I can do something about the pain.” Ker nodded and the doctor came closer. He examined the wound. “You’re very lucky to be alive. I can feel where the bullet penetrated your skull, it’s still healing. Injuries to the brain are fickle things. Sadly, the pain may never go away.” He said as he stepped back.

“Memento mori.” Ker said sternly. “Qui audet adipiscitur _._ ”

“Remember that you’re going to die? And he who dares, wins? That’s a rather fatalistic view of things.”

“Why don't you come with me?” Ker said.

_Hmm… Medic. If you insist on recruiting a gang, a medic would be very useful. Good decision._ Her father agreed.

“I can't leave now. Caesar has gained too much ground. I need to be here in case the NCR fails to hold Hoover Dam.”

“Things are bad around here. Maybe I can do something about that, maybe you can help. Besides, iucundum est narrare sua mala.”

“I suppose it is pleasant to share your troubles.” The doctor thought for a second. “Where are you headed?”

“The Strip. I have something to deal with there but it’ll have to wait until I can get in. Otherwise…” Ker sighed. “The Legion needs to be pushed back and the NCR needs to hold the dam. As to how, I don’t know yet.” She said pressing her fingers against her temple. Seeing this, the doctor went back into his tent and returned a moment later with small bottle.

“Here. Take two of these; it might help with the pain.” He held out two small pills.

“I can’t afford-“

“If I’m gonna be your doctor, you need to learn to listen to me.”

Ker nodded and took the pills, quickly dry swallowing them. “You got a name? Or is it just doctor?”

“Arcade Gannon.” He stretched out a hand and Ker took it.

“Ker, or Courier.” She replied.

“Now try and get some rest. I’ll see you in the morning.”

Ker managed a few hours of sleep before the sun rose.

“Good morning, Mojave!” Veronica announced as she sat up in bed. It roused Ker who was still trying to get some sleep, but Boone was already up and ready.

“Do you have a snooze button, Veronica?” Ker mumbled.

“How are you feeling, Ker?” Upon hearing her name for the first time in a **long** time, Ker looked up to see the blond doctor in the doorway, smiling.

She met his eyes. “Like it’s time to get shit done.” She dragged herself out of bed, catching Boone’s glare at her. “New traveling companion; Arcade Gannon. Arcade, this is Veronica and Boone.”

Boone grunted and Veronica stuck out a hand. “Please ta metcha!” She said happily.

“This is quite the group you’ve gathered, Ker. I’m sure we’ll do great things together.”

Ker stood in the shadow of the massive statues at Mojave outpost. They’d found out that Crimson Caravans had work that needed to be done and they were paying well. So Ker volunteered out of sheer desperation for caps. The trip south was quick. They slipped through Quarry Junction during the night and avoided the deathclaws. They did run afoul of a few Powder Gangers but with Boone around they never got close. Ker hated not having a rifle.

They’d stopped in Goodsprings for the night where Arcade had a long talk with Doc Mitchell. Then they headed south to eventually reach Mojave Outpost.

“Something wrong, Ker?” Arcade asked as she stared.

“Just thinking. I’ll go find this woman. I’ll see you all in the morning.” Ker said and headed to the nearby building. She found the barracks and bar easy enough and she found the drunken redhead at the bar.

_Another drunk. Joy of joys._ He father grumbled.

“Hey.” Ker greeted. “Rose of Sharon Cassidy?”

“Looking for trouble?” The redhead slurred.

“No, only looking.”

“Well, keep those eyes up and turning - or I'll set 'em spinning. Got no time for gawkers... or anyone looking for something I ain't selling.”

“Are you all right?” Ker asked.

“All right? No, I'm not all right. Drinking to forget, and it's only getting me mad instead. Whiskey always gets my temper up - now more than ever. Drinking used to cause all sorts of trouble back West - before I punched enough people, that is, and they learned to lay low when the whiskey hit.”

“Takes a lot of whiskey to forget.” Ker sat on a bar stool one away from Cass. “What are you trying to forget?”

“Lost my caravan heading north, the driver burned to ash - and they didn't even take the cargo, they just burned that, too.”

“Why would they do that?” Ker asked.

“My guess is Legion, they're trying to cut NCR's supply line... and the Mojave Outpost is proof. Got us locked up tighter than a New Vegas virgin. No caravans in, out, and just try arguing with Jackson about it. ‘Roads aren't safe,’ he says. No shit, you washed-out old fuckup, I didn't need a Brotherhood Scribe to tell me that.”

“Who’s Jackson?”

“NCR officer, trooper, whatever - runs the place. He's over in the main building, the one without a bar. Jackson won't let me head north, it's not safe... and even though my caravan's gone, my caravan papers are keeping me here. So if you came here for work, my advice? Go find the Crimson Caravan branch, south of Vegas. They can help you out.”

“Been there, done that. That’s why I’m here.” Ker pulled out the offer. “Crimson Caravan sent me; they want to buy out your caravan.”

“They want to buy Cassidy Caravans? Don't they know it's burned to ash? No... even times being what they are, not sure I'm looking to sell, even for all the whiskey in Reno.”

“You said it yourself; you’re caravan was burned to ash.”

“If you want to buy all of Cassidy Caravans, you're looking at it - and what I got in my pockets. Still, as little as that is, not looking to sell.”

“I have the offer letter here, the terms are fair.” Ker held out the paper.

Cass took it. “Alice McLafferty, eh? No, I see the zeroes... and I know she's good for them. Still, it's not about the money. Dad'd spin like a twister if he ever heard I sold our name for anything.”

“Are you sure?”

“Look, I know you came all this way, and that takes some drive, especially these days. Just doesn't feel right, trading history for a slip of paper.”

“If you made the caravan, you're responsible for killing it.” Ker said harshly.

“What did you just say to me? Cause you sure as hell got my attention now.” Cass seethed.

“I may be honest, but at least I'm not blinded by pride.”

“That's fair. But there's been that voice inside me saying the same thing, and whiskey wasn't killing it. Give me that paper, I'll put my name to it. No sense trying to hold the past between your fingers when it's nothing but dirt. All right... there you go, caravan's yours. Feel kind of relieved, actually. Guess I didn't realize how much I was carrying around with just the name.”

“What will you do now?” Ker took the paper back and tucked it away safely.

“No idea. Maybe... head back West? Though the idea of heading back there with my tail between my legs isn't appealing.”

Ker sighed. “You could come with me.”

_Yes! Another friend!_ Sable cheered.

_Another drunk._

“Go with you? And why the hell would I do that?”

“Do you really want to stay in this shithole? We’re heading off to the Strip. You can leave there if you like.”

“Hnh. The Outpost lost its charm about three bottles ago, and that was just this morning.”

“Alright, we’ll leave in the morning.”

Ker sat under the giant statues and looked east at the smoke rising in the distance. Below the smoke she could just make out a town on the horizon.

“That’s a lot of smoke.” Arcade said as he came up behind her.

“Yeah.”

“Is the whole town on fire?” Veronica asked as she joined them. Boone and Cass followed right behind her.

“Can’t tell from here.”

“Ranger wants the town scouted.” Boone said briskly.

“Oh my god! You **can** speak!” Veronica said covering her mouth in mock surprise. Boone merely glared at her.

“You said we’re heading to the Strip.” Cass added then took a sip from her bottle.

“Yeah, I think we’ll scout the town for the ranger first. You can wait here if you like; we’ll have to report back.” Ker offered as she stood up and dusted off.

“Ker, did you pick up a stray?” Arcade joked as he looked at Cass. Cass was about to protest.

“In case you didn’t notice Arcade, we’re **all** strays.” Ker looked around to see if anyone would protest her observation. No one said anything. “Shall we head to Nipton then?” She said and started walking east. Everyone followed in their own time.

Raiders didn’t bother the large group and they reached the town in the evening.

“Legion.” Boone growled upon seeing the flags posted at the entrance to town and moved to break into a sprint.

“Wait!” Ker grabbed his arm. He glared back at her. “It’s not just our lives at risk if you charge in there.” She said. He grumbled.

_Assessing situation._

“Boone, you find a vantage point to cover the town. Arcade, go with him. Make sure no one tries to get too close while he’s looking down the scope.” Boone looked over at Arcade and grumbled then stalked off toward the hills. Arcade shrugged and followed close behind.

“What about us?” Veronica asked.

“You and I are going to scout the town. Cass will cover our backs with that shotgun. First we have to wait for Boone to get into position.”

After a few minutes, Ker nodded and the girls proceeded into the town. Ker reached the main street and peeked around the building. “Shit! Frumentarius!” She whispered. “Cass, stay here. Veronica and I need to get closer.” Cass and Veronica nodded. Ker stepped around the corner expecting a fight. All she got was a beckoning hand from the frumentarius. She approached as close as she dare with Veronica behind her. She counted the legionaries; without the frumentarius and the dogs there were more than twenty.

_Frumentarii: The eyes and ears of Caesar. His intelligence officers are tasked not only with infiltrating enemy society, but also carrying out his campaigns of terror. They operate separately from the main Legion forces and are handpicked by Caesar himself. Be wary, daughter._

“Don't worry, I won't have you lashed to a cross like the rest of these degenerates. It's useful that you happened by.” The frumentarius said pleasantly. “I want you to witness the fate of the town of Nipton, to memorize every detail. And then, when you move on? I want you to teach everyone you meet the lesson that Caesar's Legion taught here, especially any NCR troops you run across.”

“Have you a name, frumentarius?” Ker asked sternly, she was getting angry.

“Hmm. A knowledgeable profligate. I am Vulpes Inculta. I serve my master as the greatest of his frumentarii.”

_Vulpes Inculta: Uncultivated Fox. Leader of Ceasar’s frumentarii. Threat level high. Do not underestimate him._

Ker tried to hide her surprise that the fabled Vulpes Inculta was standing in front of her. “What did you do here?” She asked angrily.

“Nipton was a wicked place, debased and corrupt. It served all comers, so long as they paid. Profligate troops, Powder Gangers, men of the Legion such as myself - the people here didn't care. It was a town of whores. For a pittance, the town agreed to lead those it had sheltered into a trap. Only when I sprang it did they realize they were caught inside it, too. We herded them to the center of town. I told them their sins, the foremost being disloyalty. I told them that when Legionaries are disloyal, some are punished, the others made to watch. And I announced the lottery. Each clutched his ticket, hoping it would set him free. Each did nothing, even when ‘loved ones’ were dragged away to be killed.” Vulpes seemed happy with his monologue.

_Is it wrong that I want you to kill him for this?_ Sable asked. _It is isn’t it?_

“You slaughtered innocent civilians?” Veronica piped up.

“Innocent? Hardly. Cowardly, though. They outnumbered us, yet not once did they try to resist. They stood and watched as their fellows were butchered, crucified, and burned, one by one. They stood and hoped their turn would not come. Each cared only for himself.”

“Your crimes are unforgivable!” Veronica yelled. Ker placed a hand on Veronica’s arm to stop her.

“As are all crimes. If you feel strongly about it, attack us, and soon you won't feel a thing.” Vulpes said happily.

Whatever emotions Ker was feeling finally culminated into a cold rage. Today, she got to kill Vulpes Inculta. Today would be a good day. “Oh, silly me.” Ker laughed, high and fake. “Where are my manners? You introduced yourself. It’s customary we do the same.”

“I have no interest in who you are, profligates.” Vulpes said as he turned away.

“Oh? Surely you’d like to know when your death is coming.” Ker said sweetly.

This got his attention and he turned back. “Oh?”

Ker cocked her head and smiled maniacally. “Because the Keres are here, Vulpes.” Ker watched as some of the legionaries glanced at each other and shifted uneasily.

“The Keres?” Vulpes asked, intrigued. “Superstitious nonsense.”

“Really? Then how do you explain the dead legionary?” She asked happily.

“What dead legionary?” Vulpes asked confused.

Ker made a gun with her finger and thumb and overtly pointed to one of the Legion recruits. He fell dead, the gunshot echoing off the hills. “That one.”

“Sniper!” Vulpes yelled and the fight started. Vulpes and the legionaries charged the two girls. Ker noticed two legionaries running in the wrong direction. A small success. She would let them go, but she doubted Boone would. Ker drew pistol and knife and fought off the ones who attacked her. She heard Boone’s rifle at regular intervals and eventually a scatter gun joined the fray. She’d only killed two legionaries when Vulpes stood before her, machete drawn ready to fight.

“Profligate, bitch! This was a moment of victory!” He snarled.

“I'm gonna wear your head like you wear that dog's!” Ker snarled back and the fight was on. Vulpes was fast and on her in a second, focusing on getting the gun out of her hand. He did so easily but Ker didn’t care; she’d rather have the free hand in a knife fight anyway. As much as Ker wanted to help with the dogs and the other legionaries, she found her entire attention focused on keeping up with Vulpes. She’d never fought someone as fast as him. She was vaguely aware of Veronica over powering some legionaries and Cass slaughtering the dogs. They managed to keep her clear to fight on. Something in the back of her mind told her that all she needed to do was get some distance from Vulpes and Boone would take care of him. Even if she’d wanted to however, she couldn’t disengage without leaving herself open. When their hands were locked together in a battle of strength, Vulpes pitched himself forward, in an attempt to overpower her. It brought his face intimately close to Ker’s.

“I will **not** die at the hands of a **woman**!” He growled low.

“I’ll be sure to tell the whole Mojave after I kill you!” She growled back. She head butted him and they broke apart.

“Ker!” She heard it a moment too late and felt the searing pain along her back from right shoulder to left hip. It was almost enough to make her drop her knife. She clutched it harder and spun full circle on her heel, managing to raise her own knife high enough to slash the legionary’s throat. She ended the spin facing Vulpes and quickly got her knife between them. Ker knew she was bleeding badly, but could do little about it.

“Time to end this.” Vulpes shouted as he charged. Maybe he wasn’t expecting her to still put up a fight. Maybe he wasn’t expecting her to still have her speed. Whatever it was, Ker capitalized on his reckless charge. She ignored her back and used her legs. She pivoted left around the machete and drove her right knee into the frumentarius’s stomach. From there she drove her foot down and forced his knee backwards, shattering it. Using that downward force, she brought down the knife into his shoulder. She twisted and removed the knife then slashed open the side of his neck. The blood sprayed all over her as the once frumentarius collapsed to the ground.

Ker just stood there. She was aware that she was running mostly on adrenaline at the moment. She was sure she’d collapse soon. But she couldn’t bring herself to care. Her vision was getting foggy and everything sounded far away. She thought she heard her name. She felt the cool blood soaking her clothes and her duster. Her back was getting cold.

Panic snapped her back to reality with a surge of adrenaline. She walked over to the stairs Vulpes had stood by and eased herself down. She saw Arcade running toward her. She caught sight of Veronica beside him. Cass was further in the distance. An echoing gunshot told her Boone was still in place.

“Ker! Ker!” Arcade reached her. “Oh god! That looks deep.”

_Soon they’ll all know._ Sable whispered.

“It’s fine.” Ker grunted. “Just cauterize it.”

“What?! I need to clean it and stitch it closed! Veronica, help me remove her coat.” He said examining her back. Veronica took a small multi tool from her pocket and they cut off Ker’s duster. “Now the shirt.”

“No.” Ker said adamantly and shifted away from them.

“Now’s not the time for modesty. You’re losing a lot of blood. You could go into shock any minute!” Arcade argued.

“Just cauterize the wound.” Ker said carefully. She saw Boone running up to them.

“What’s wrong?” He asked sternly.

“She won’t let me treat her!” Arcade said angrily.

Boone looked knowingly at Ker. “Let him treat you.”

“Mali principii malus finis.” Ker muttered toward Arcade.

“Now isn’t the time for games!” Arcade shouted.

“Veritas odium paret.”

“Truth creates hate? What truth? Vincit omnia veritas!” The others realized Arcade and Ker were having a conversation they couldn’t follow.

“Fidite nemini.” Things were starting to dim.

_“_ Veritas vos liberabit! _”_ Arcade shouted.

Ker faintly smiled at that. “Concede.”

“Finally! Veronica! Find a bed! Boone! Help me carry her!” Together, Boone and Arcade lifted Ker carefully. They were careful not to jostle her too much.

“Fidite nemini. Fidite nemini.” Ker whispered to herself under her breath before she passed out. Veronica found a bed and moments later Ker was lying face down on the bed.

“What the hell was that about?” Cass asked as Arcade brought out his tools.

“Hell if I know.” Arcade prepped his tools.

“You speak Latin.” Boone accused.

“I learned it from the Follower’s archives, alright?”

“What was she saying?” Veronica asked.

“Something about bad beginnings lead to bad endings, then truth creates hatred.” Arcade translated as he got ready to remove Ker’s shirt.

“And the last bit?” Boone asked coldly.

Arcade sighed. “Trust no one.” With that he cut off Ker’s shirt to reveal her back. Veronica gasped, Cass swore and Arcade stared. All eyes were fixed on the mass of long vertical scars crisscrossing Ker’s back.

“Those are…” Veronica started but died off.

“From a whip. Flogging most likely.” Arcade finished over the lump in his throat.

“The Legion?” Cass asked.

“NCR still flogs soldiers.” Arcade added, hoping Cass was wrong.

“Not like that.” Boone added.

“It doesn’t matter. Those are healed; I need to stop the bleeding. Veronica, help me with this.”


	5. Friends

# Chapter 5: Friends

 

Ker slowly came back to her senses. She kept her breathing steady and eyes closed as she remembered what had happened. She was still alive at least.

“Gannon. She’s awake.”

Dammit, Boone. She’d just wanted to push things off. Just a little.

She heard soft footsteps. “No, she isn’t.” Ker figured she might as well prove Boone right.

“Hmm.” She let out what little noise she could make.

“You **are** awake!” Arcade cried and sat down on the bed beside her. “Don’t try to move much. It took a lot of stitches to close that wound. The stim will still be working on fixing the damage. Can you open your eyes?”

This was nothing new to Ker, waking up barely alive. The new part was having people around, helping her. She opened her eyes but kept them low; focusing on the ground and not the two men in the room.

“You had us worried there. How are you feeling?” Arcade asked sincerely.

Ker didn’t want to answer. She didn’t want to speak at all. She owed them nothing. But they were **still** there. Ker hadn’t expected that. “Fine.” She mumbled.

“I doubt you feel fine.” Arcade said as he checked the wound

“The girls?” Ker asked.

“Outside by the fire. I’ll tell them you’ve woken up when we’re finished here.” Arcade explained. Ker knew they were tiptoeing around the Brahmin in the room. “Everything looks good for now. You should try and get some sleep.” With that, Arcade left and headed outside. Boone remained behind, still sitting in a chair beside the bed.

Ker didn’t understand why they were still around. Any of them. **She** was the only one who had gotten injured. She must appear to be the weak link.

_They’re your friends! That’s why they are still around!_ Sable explained.

_Friends? They can’t be my friends. I don’t know how to **be** friends._

_They are not your ‘friends’, they are your subordinates. You are their leader. You singled out the greatest threat among the enemies and dealt with it singlehandedly. If anything you’ve proven yourself to them in combat now._

_I’m their leader?!_

_You are nobody’s subordinate but mine and they have all shown they will follow your orders, even the sniper._ Her father declared proudly.

_They’re your friends!_

_Subordinates!_

_Friends!_

_Sub-_

_Enough! What do I tell them?_

_Nothing. They don’t need any additional information to follow orders._

_You should get some of this off your chest, Ker. It’s killing you!_ Sable urged.

_I’m fine!_

_You’re not and you know it!_

_Then… what do I tell them?_

_Start small._

_Small?_

_Trust them, just a bit._

_Trust is always a mistake._ Her father said sternly.

“Trust.” Ker mumbled. She lay in bed for a good ten minutes debating and contemplating. Finally she decided. She carefully started to sit up.

“What are you doing?”

“Getting up.” She answered.

“In that condition?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because she’s right. It **is** killing me.”

“…What?”

“It’s not important.” Ker said as she swung her legs over the side of the bed. She noticed she was shirtless and braless. Boone was overtly looking away. On the table beside the bed was a shirt. She carefully put it on and buttoned it up. She finally stood up. She wobbled slightly, only to have a firm hand grab her arm and steady her. “Thanks.” She was a little lightheaded but she managed to get to the door. She opened it and headed out. Boone followed her out.

“What the hell are you doing **up**? I told you to rest!” Arcade said as she shot to his feet and crossed by the fire toward her.

Ker raised a hand to stop him. “I’ll rest here.” She leaned against the house and gently lowered herself to a seated position.

“How are you feeling?” Veronica asked from across the fire.

“Is the fox dead?” Ker asked back.

“Oh yeah.”

“Then I feel fine.”

Arcade took his seat again and the five of them sat around the campfire. The only sound was the crackling of the fire.

“I don’t know what to say.” Ker said leaning her head back against the wall.

“It’s alright. We don’t need-“ Veronica started.

“I was tortured by the Legion.” Ker began. Veronica went silent. “For days, maybe a week. Then I was crucified and left to die. I only got away due to sheer luck. Good or bad, I still haven’t decided.” Ker closed her eyes, remembering. “I’ve killed… a lot of legionaries in revenge.” She sighed. “But it’s never enough.”

_And it never will be. You main objective in life is to kill legionaries. Do not forget that, daughter._

The whole group was silent. Ker scanned the area catching sight of one of the Legion’s crosses.

“Shit! The men on the crosses!” Ker said sitting upright.

“None could be saved.” Arcade said sadly.

Ker leaned back against the house. “Goddamned Legion.” She whispered. Leaning her head back and closing her eyes.

“You **should** get some rest. That wound could have killed you.” Arcade podded gently.

Ker went to stand. Veronica was on her feet in a second and helping her up. “Let me help.”

When she was on her feet, Ker looked at everyone briefly. “This isn’t what most of you signed on for. I won’t hold it against any of you if you aren’t here in the morning.”

Veronica disappeared inside with Ker. A few minutes later she reappeared and joined the group.

“Tortured… by the Legion. I… can’t imagine.” Veronica said as she sat down around the fire. “Those scars…”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen worse. And **that’s** saying something. It’s hard to believe she survived those injuries.” Arcade said sadly.

Ker slept soundly. Her body was desperate for the sleep but her mind raced. She had nightmares she hadn’t had in years. She woke to the sun streaming in through the dirty window. She noticed the house was silent. Oh well. If she was alone, she would make due. The Legion hadn’t been here to loot so there should be lots of supplies for her to use until she was healed up. She found her pack beside the bed. Her 9mm and combat knife were inside. She geared up and picked up the pack; best to scavenge while she felt well enough. She headed out the door.

“Hey there, sleepy head!”

“Veronica?!” Ker greeted in surprise. Veronica was by last night’s campfire packing supplies into several different bags. “You’re still here?” Ker asked, still surprised.

“We strays gotta stick together!” Veronica laughed.

“Oh.” Was all Ker could find to say.

“You’re finally awake.” Ker looked over to see Cass and Boone walking toward them, each carrying a large full bag. Cass continued. “Arcade said to let you sleep as long as you wanted. He said you wouldn’t do anything stupid while you slept.”

“You two have been busy.” Ker said looking at their bags.

“Boone was gettin’ antsy sitting around. I decided we’d start lootin’ while we waited.” Cass said. “The town hall was full of Legion mutts and traps but I killed the mutts and Boone disarmed the traps. We should be able to sell all this stuff at the Mojave Outpost for loads of caps.”

“After we-“

“Shut up, Veronica.” Cass cut in. Boone glared at Cass.

“I won’t ask.” Ker said then hesitated. “And our resident doctor?”

“Present!” Arcade said as he jogged over. “We found a survivor; a Powder Ganger. The Legion crippled him; I was doing what I could.”

_See? I told you they were your friends!_ Sable laughed.

“Oh.” Ker looked at her feet. “I can honestly say I’m surprised you all stayed.”

“So we ran into a few legionaries. That’s bound to happen out here.” Arcade shrugged.

There was a brief pause. The silence was broken by Boone. “She should know.”

“Dammit, Boone! She’s in no shape to do anything about it!” Arcade shouted.

“Know what?” Ker asked confused.

“The Powder Ganger we found said two of the people from town we taken to a nearby camp to be made slaves.” Arcade sighed.

“What?!” Ker was shocked. “Slaves? There’s a camp **nearby**?”

“You’re in no condition to do anything.” Arcade said adamantly.

“To hell with **that**!” Ker shouted. “You’re right, my hand to hand skills will be lacking right now but I can still shoot!”

“But-“

“ **Slaves** , Arcade!” Ker said coldly. “I’m going. I take it you’re with me Boone?” She looked over and got a curt nod in response. “Anyone else in?”

“What the hell, I’ve got no plans.” Veronica laughed.

“Killin’ slavers sounds good.” Cass agreed.

“The men will probably need medical attention, Arcade.” Ker prodded.

“Fine.” Arcade said throwing up his hands in surrender.

Ker nodded to him. “Omnium artium medicina nobilissima est.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere, Ker.” Arcade said with a laugh.

“Aww but it was worth a try.” Ker shrugged.

“Now let me check that wound before we go gallivanting off through the desert.”

They left the majority of their salvage in the home where they had stayed so they could travel lighter and make better time. Arcade demanded to carry Ker’s pack, surprising Ker. He said she didn’t need anything to aggravate the wound. They headed east as fast as Ker was able. While she was currently the slowest of the group, she still barely slowed them down.

“Here. Big group headed east.” Ker said as she read the tracks before her. “Fifteen maybe? And one is limping.”

Arcade stared at her. “You can tell that by looking at the dirt?!”

Ker turned to Arcade in surprise. “You can’t?”

They continued east, only stopping for a quick lunch. In the early evening, Boone stopped the group.

“Smoke.” He said.

“Alright, Boone, find a vantage point. We’ll give him five minutes before we head in.”

“No.” Boone said sternly. “Injured like that, you’ll just be a liability in close combat.”

_He’s right and you know it._ Her father agreed.

_Wait, wait, wait. He cares about what happens to you!_ As usual, Sable saw something completely different from what Ker and her father saw.

Ker grit her teeth. “You’re right. Veronica goes in first. Charge in or mess with them, it doesn’t matter. Cass, stay a bit back from Veronica and then cover her. I’ll stay will Arcade and we’ll cover from a distance.” Boone nodded and headed off into the hills.

“Oh. Wow.” Ker said as she carefully surveyed the camp. “Vulpes brought a lot of men with him.” It was a big camp ahead of them. There were two large tents and several smaller ones. There were maybe twenty legionaries scattered throughout the camp but no mongrels. Ker finally spotted the battered Powder Gangers both lying in the dirt near the campfire.

A few minutes later, Veronica sauntered into the camp and said something that made the guard scratch his head. Then she literally punched off the guard’s head. Ker had never seen that before and it took the loud rifle shot in the distance to bring her back to reality. The first snapback from the pistol she held in both hands caused her to grunt in pain. She managed to keep a few legionaries at bay until Veronica was clear. Before she could find another target she noticed the camp was clear and saw Arcade running toward the Powder Gangers.

Ker followed Arcade into the camp. “How are they?” Ker shouted to Arcade when she was close enough.

“Not so good. We probably shouldn’t move them for a bit.” Arcade responded as Ker approached.

“Hate the idea of staying in a Legion camp, but they’ll have the supplies we need here.” Ker said with a grimace. They looted the camp and tended to the Powder Gangers. Boone volunteered for first watch and soon everyone was sound asleep.

Ker shuffled out of camp and made her way over to the sniper keeping watch. “Can’t sleep. Arcade is snoring. Do you mind if I join you?” She asked. When she got no response, she sat beside him anyways, at a friendly but not too friendly distance. They sat in silence for a long time.

“How many Legion have you killed?”

“What?” Ker was caught off guard by the question.

“You said a lot but it was never enough.”

Ker sighed. “I don’t know if I’ll **ever** kill enough to make the pain go away.”

“How did you kill so many?”

_More information the sniper does not require._ Her father warned.

_Trust him, just a little bit more._ Sable pleaded.

“My father was a Desert Ranger.” Ker said looking up at the stars. She heard Boone look over at her. “I was his spotter. He taught me everything I know.”

“You were his spotter?” Boone asked, Ker thought she heard a bit of surprise in his voice. “Then… he was your last partner?”

 Ker flinched at Boone’s words.

_We’ve been spotted. We should retreat._

_Can’t. Got Legion coming in from the left and right too._

_Then we scale the cliff behind us._

_We shoot._

Ker forced the vivid memory from her mind and gave her head a shake. “Yes. He was.”

“What happened to him?”

“He…” Ker began but couldn’t finish.

_He doesn’t need to know this._ Her father said gruffly. _No one does._

_He’s right. The sniper doesn’t need to know. But maybe, just maybe, you **want** to tell him? _Sable asked quietly. _You want to tell someone, don’t you?_

“He’s dead, then.” Boone assumed, looking up at the stars himself.

Ker scoffed. “Like anything could kill **him**.” Ker sighed deeply, suddenly very tired. “He left me behind.” She whispered. “To the mercy of the Legion, so he could escape.”

“What?!” Boone jerked his head down to look over at Ker who was looking at the dirt with her knees pulled up to her chest. The surprise was much more evident in his voice this time. “He left you behind?! His own **daughter**?!”

Ker could barely get her voice to be anything more than a whisper. “He didn’t even have the decency to put me out of my misery while I hung from a cross.” Ker swallowed hard. “It’s… hard to trust anyone after that.”

“Then why trust **me**?”

_You want to help him_. Sable answered

_He’s useful._ Her father answered as well.

Ker buried her face in her knees. “You remind me of someone.” She said, though it was muffled.

“Who?”

Ker lifted her head and finally looked over at Boone. “Me. I know how hard it is to survive after…” Ker just sighed. “Maybe I can help.”

“I don’t need your help.”

“Really?” Ker said skeptically. “Look me in the eye and tell that your singular goal in life right now isn’t to kill as many legionaries as you can before they kill you.” Boone looked her in the eye, but said nothing. Ker nodded slowly. “Suicide by legionary. I’ve considered it myself. Many times.” Ker looked up at the stars. She then spoke quietly. “But I promise you this, Boone. As long as you travel with me, I’ll die before I let them kill you.” Ker wasn’t sure what was going through Boone’s mind at that moment. She didn’t really care. “If this arrangement doesn’t suit you, you can head north back to Novac in the morning.” Ker got up and headed back to the tent.

Ker managed a few hours of sleep before sunrise. She left the tent to find the gang, minus Boone, waiting around the burned out campfire, ready to leave.

“Where’s Boone?” Ker asked sadly, assuming he’d decided to head home to Novac.

“Haven’t seen ‘im since I relieved him from watch.” Cass yawned.

“Did something happen?” Veronica asked. “Did he leave?”

“Probably.” Ker sighed.

“Why?” Cass asked with an eyebrow raised.

“He asked me a question. I don’t think he liked the answer.” Ker sighed again and hoisted her pack onto her shoulders. The others looked at her with questioning faces.

“There he is!” Arcade shouted, pointing past Ker. She turned to see Boone coming down the hill behind her.

“Boone.” Ker said quietly. He just nodded toward Ker. “Alright then. Let’s get going.”

The large group left the Legion camp just after dawn. They were held to a slowish pace by one of the Powder Gangers who had a nasty limp. The group arrived in Nipton just after dark; the tire fires were still burning. The two rescued Powder Gangers where hesitant to stay in Nipton but it was the group’s best available shelter. Ker volunteered for watch but was overruled by Arcade who said she needed sleep. Boone took the first watch and Veronica, the second.

“What the hell are you doing?” Arcade shouted when he emerged from the Nipton home the next morning to find Ker throwing her combat knife at the side of another house.

“Uhh… practicing?” She said sweetly.

“Your back isn’t healed yet!” He shouted.

“But it barely hurts at all and I don’t wanna lose my touch.” She said as she threw the knife at the house again and it landed barely an inch from the previous mark.

Arcade went to speak but was cut off as Veronica joined them. “It’s such a fabulous morning. Today would be the perfect day to wear a nice sundress.” She said wistfully.

“A dress?” Ker questioned.

“I’m thinking, blue. Light blue. **Sky** blue.” She said happily.

“Why do people wear dresses?” Ker asked confused. “They seem… impractical.” She scratched her head.

“ **Impractical**? They aren’t **meant** to be practical. They’re **meant** to be pretty.” Veronica argued.

“I don’t understand. I thought they were for non-coms, err… non-combatants, civilians.” Ker tried.

“You’ve never worn a dress, have you Ker?” Veronica asked.

“No. Not that I recall.”

“ **That’s** your problem. When we get into the strip, you and I are going to find some dresses and go out for a night on the town.” Veronica said happily.

“Planning a party without me, eh?” Cass said as she came around the house.

“Oh, you can come, but you gotta wear a dress!” Veronica laughed.

“It’d take a lot of whiskey to get me into a dress.” Cass laughed.

Ker looked between them and then to Arcade.

“Don’t look at me. You’re on your own here.” He said as he backed away slowly.

“I’m gonna go do that thing.” Ker said as she backed away.

“What thing?” Veronica asked with a smile.

“The thing… that needs to be done.” Ker said and made a break for the house. She entered the house and grabbed her pack. Even over the loud conversation between the two girls outside Ker heard the soft grunt from the other room. She walked into the next room and saw Boone still lying on the couch, his rifle and pack on the floor. Ker went to speak when she noticed him twitch. She looked closer and saw he was sweating and his breathing was shallow. Ker thought for a moment then went and knelt beside the couch.

“Boone.” She said quietly. She got no response so she tried again louder. “Boone.” She didn’t want to touch him, waking out of a nightmare was disorientating enough, and she didn’t want to make things worse. But she couldn’t let this continue. She reached out and laid her hand on his closest shoulder and gave a soft shake. “Boone!” She called out with authority. Boone bolted upright so quickly he knocked Ker back and she sat on her heels. He looked around in confusion, his green eyes wide with panic.

“Boone.” She said again. “You’re in Nipton.” She watched as his breathing slowed and the confusion died in his eyes as he looked around the room. Finally he looked over at her, the hard glare back in his eyes. “Are you alright?” Ker asked, concerned.

“I’m fine.” He said harshly as he turned to sit properly on the couch and picked up his rifle.

Ker knew he was lying, but didn’t want to press the issue. “Here.” She held out the canteen from her pack to him. He hesitated but took it and drank.

“Did anyone else…” Boone started but trailed off.

“No. Everyone else is outside.” Ker assured.

He handed Ker back her canteen. “Thanks” He said gruffly then started to gather up his gear.

Ker carefully got back to her feet. “Take a minute to catch your breath.” She said as she walked back to the other room, then outside.

“Something wrong?” Arcade asked, seeing her frown.

“No, just thinking.” Ker said.

With five people carrying the loot they managed to bring quite the haul back to Mojave Outpost. Add that to the reward for scouting the town and clearing the road (which they did unknowingly.) and they had quite the little windfall. Ker got Arcade supplied first with better medical equipment and more supplies. The meager amount he brought with him from the Follower was almost all used to treat her. Ker had been hurt enough times in her life to know the importance of a well-stocked med kit. Once Arcade was supplied, Ker bought twenty rounds of .308 ammo and twenty shotgun shells. That resupplied Boone and Cass. Next on the list were the daily supplies, food and water mainly. With everyone else fully supplied and stocked up, Ker used the last of the caps to buy a second 9mm pistol, a second combat knife and some 9mm ammo.

Ker hated that her duster had be ruined but she’d learned a long time ago not to become attached to things. Amazingly, she was able to acquire an old, worn out ranger duster from one of the merchants. She also managed to buy some new, properly fitting clothes that were less covered in blood. She considered buying armour but she was down to a mere handful of caps. She didn’t mind, she preferred the freedom of movement the lack of armour allowed.

They stayed at Mojave Outpost for the night. Ker found an isolated spot behind a building and with knife in hand, started practicing the old martial arts speed katas her father had drilled into her. Her still healing back protested slightly the first time through but loosened up after a few sets. She slowly lost herself in the highly detailed dance, focusing on nothing but speed, strength and precision. As she went the kata got faster, little by little. It didn’t take long for her to start breathing heavily as she taxed her body. Nonetheless, she continued. Soon she was entirely zoned out. She was aware of nothing outside herself and even her heavy breathing became unimportant. Finally, she hit her peak, knowing she could not push herself any harder without suffering the ill effects the next day. So she started to slow the kata down. She revved down much faster and finished with one repetition done very slow and steady to relax her breathing. When she finished, she stood quietly for a few seconds, then turned to gather her pack. Ker slept by the Brahmin corral that night, there were too many people in the barracks.

_Traveling with companions is fun!_ Sable interrupted Ker’s attempt at sleeping.

_Nipton would have been difficult without the reinforcements. The death of Vulpes Inculta is an accomplishment to be proud of._

_Enough you two. Just let me sleep._

“So, to the Strip, then?” Veronica asked as she shielded her eyes from the morning sun.

“Yup, gonna go via Novac though.” Ker said as she rearranged her pack in the shadow of the statues.

“That’ll add a couple days.” Cass said with a yawn.

“Anything to avoid that Quarry Junction deathtrap.” Arcade moaned.

“Hey! We only saw one deathclaw!” Ker smirked.

“One is more than enough!” Arcade argued. Ker almost smiled at that.

The group headed east. The only bit of excitement that day was when they stumbled upon a nest of Vipers. The group was easily able to deal with it though. Just before they reached Nipton, Ker suggested they go north and head around the town, if for no other reason than to avoid the smell. The others agreed and they camped near the Nipton water tower on the hill to the north.

Ker volunteered for the first watch. She needed time to think. She was sitting just above the camp on the rocks, overlooking the four sleeping bodies around the campfire. After a few hours she saw one of the people around the fire sit bolt upright. Boone, she suspected, had another nightmare. She watched the figure sit by the fire for a time. Then she saw it stand and pick up a rifle. Yup, it was Boone. He walked toward Ker.

“Mind if I join you?” He asked. Ker hesitated and he sat on a rock nearby. They sat quietly for a time. “You never asked.”

“Hmm?” Ker said in confusion.

“How I know my wife is dead.”

_There’s only one way to be certain something is dead: kill it yourself._ Her father provided.

“There’s only one way you would know that with such certainty.” Ker said sadly.

She heard Boone sigh. “She... I tracked her down. Southeast, near the river. They were selling her. Saw it through my scope. Whole place swarming with Legion. Hundreds of them. Bidding for things no man has a right to. I just had my rifle with me. Just me, against all of them, so... I took the shot.”

_Oh… my god. His family… in one shot…_ Sable sniffled. _Out of mercy…_

Ker sighed. “I wish I’d been there. To save you from that; even if it’d made you hate me forever. Better me then yourself.” Ker pulled her knees up under her chin. “Better for her to die than live a life as a Legion slave.”

“Yeah. What they do to women... that's worse than death.” Ker shuddered slightly in the warm night, she was sure he noticed. “There was no choice in what I did. It was more like... being forced to watch something you can't stop. All this was only ever going to play out one way. It still is. I don't have any say. All I can do is wait for it to be done with me.” He spat the last words.

“You make it sound like her death was inevitable.” Ker said, looking up at him.

“It was gonna be something. If I'd never met Carla, it would've been something else. I should've never gotten close to her. I've got bad things coming to me. You'd better keep your distance, too.”

“Oh?” Ker asked, a bit confused. “And what did you do to deserve a punishment so severe?”

“Drop it.” Boone said coldly.

Ker looked at him sternly. Then gave in. “Alright.” They sat in silence again for a while. Ker’s mind reviewed what Boone had told her.

“You said you were your father’s spotter.” Boone’s gritty voice pulled Ker’s mind back to reality.

“Yeah, for over twelve years.”

“Your father was a sniper, then?”

“Yeah, 1400 yards was his sweet spot.” Ker said absently, remembering.

“What about you?”

“1200 yards.”

“We need to find you a rifle then.”

“I had a nice setup before the Khans stole it when they ambushed me. None of them were sporting my gear in Boulder City though.” Ker sighed. “I bet they sold it all for drugs.”

“What’d you use? A marksman carbine?” He asked.

“Are you **kidding** me?!” Ker asked with mock indignity. “Have you ever tried to hit something beyond a thousand yards with a **marksman carbine**?! It’s damn near impossible!” She huffed. “I used a hunting rifle like you do, idiot.”

“You can handle that?” He asked, sizing up her small frame.

“I’ve been using a hunting rifle for almost a **decade**!” She crossed her arms. “Dammit. Now you’ve hurt my feelings.” He looked at her, a bit confused. “Find me a hunting rifle with a scope and I’ll forgive you.”


	6. Vegas

# Chapter 6: Vegas

 

Ker lead the way east the next morning. Just before she turned them north, she saw a small ranch, on a hill in the distance. She altered their course to take them to the ranch, figuring they could reach it by sunset.

“Hello?” Ker shouted when she stood in front of the ranch’s single building. The ranch was deserted but crops were still growing wild on the farmland and there was a water pump with fresh water. Ker went into the building and explored the inside. It was a well-equipped modest home. Inspiration struck Ker.

_Do it! You know you want to! I’m sure they’d all appreciate it!_ Sable urged.

_It’s always useful to prove yourself invaluable._

“Boone! Hey, Boone!” She called as she ran back outside. She’d caught his attention and he was looking her way from his vantage point on the top of the hill. “Think you can find us some gecko meat?” She asked, eyes shining. He gave a curt nod. “Cass, go with him! Veronica, I want your help. Arcade, you’re on watch.”

“What exactly are you planning, Ker?” Arcade asked.

“Dum satur est venter, gaudet caput inde libenter _._ ” She said with a slight smile. Arcade’s smile grew to match Ker’s. “Well, get going!” She called to Boone who was still on the hill.

Just as full dark set in, Boone and Cass returned with a big gecko. Ker ran out of the house grabbed it and ran back into the house, slamming the door behind her. While they waited, Boone built a campfire. Finally, Ker came out of the house, a large pot in each hand and small smirk on her face. Veronica followed close behind with a huge plate of gecko steaks. They set the food down around the fire and Ker went back inside for another arm load while Veronica set a grill up on the fire.

“What the hell did you two do?” Cass asked as Ker came out with more supplies.

“Everything I needed was here and the crops would just rot if no one used them.” Ker cooked up the steaks, adding a coat of a liquid no one recognized. While she cooked the steaks she boiled up corn, carrots and potatoes.

“That smells **amazing**!” Veronica said with barely contained excitement.

“You have no idea!” Ker teased.

“What exactly are you putting on those steaks?” Arcade asked.

“It’s a mixture of agave, barrel cactus fruit and banana yucca. Gotta get the mix just right or it ends up sour.” Ker frowned at something, and then smirked again. “Alright, it’s ready!”

Veronica was the first one with her plate out and ready to be served. She took a heaping helping of everything since there was a lot. “Oh my **god**! Ker, this is one of the **best** things I have ever tasted!” Veronica squealed after a bite of the steak. Ker nodded in agreement as she served the rest.

“It’s sweet but not sickeningly sweet like that old world junk food.” Arcade said as he joined in.

“I was just gonna suggest a whiskey marinade, but this is better.” Cass said with a shrug.

“Thanks to Boone and Cass, there’s lots of steak. I cooked up a lot of everything so eat up!” Ker said. Soon, everyone was eating their fill. Once they were finished, Ker took the leftovers and diced them all up before putting them back in the pot. She added her sweet sauce and put the pot back in the house for breakfast. Soon, everyone was sitting around the fire. Except Veronica who was lying sprawled out on her back.

“Ugh… I think I ate too much.” Veronica lamented happily.

Ker sadly looked down at something in her hands. Arcade saw it glint in the firelight. “What have you got there?” He asked gently.

“I found it inside. I haven’t seen one in years.” Ker said absently.

“One what?” Arcade prodded gently.

Ker snapped back to the present. “Oh, sorry, it’s a harmonica.”

“Harmonica? What’s that?” Cass asked.

“It’s an old world musical instrument.” Ker answered. “Some of the rangers used to play them.”

“Can you play it?” Arcade asked gently.

“Huh? Uhh… yeah. A bit but it’s been a while.”

“Well? I’ve never heard a harmonica before! Quit teasing and play it!” Veronica laughed.

“Oh. If you insist. I never even checked to see if it works.” Ker carefully lifted the harmonica to her mouth and blew through the whole scale of notes. The twangy notes easily caught everyone’s attention in the quiet night. “Heh, it works.” Ker smiled sadly. “Now let’s see.” Ker started playing. It was a sad, slow tune that fit well with the barren Mojave. The song went on for a few minutes, Ker capturing her audience’s full attention. She played with her eyes closed, getting lost in the song. She didn’t care when she made a mistake, even though she heard her father’s berating voice in her head every time she did. She pushed it aside and just focused on finishing the song. She came to the finish and drew it out a little longer than necessary. Finally she finished and lowered the instrument.

“That was **beautiful**!” Veronica cried happily.

“Hmm? Yeah, I guess it was.” Ker sighed.  “I’ll take first watch.” Ker said and got up to find a decent vantage point. Ker kept watch from the hill behind the house. She watched as her companions slowly left the campfire to get some sleep in the small farm house. Boone was the last one around the dying fire.

_You made them happy, Ker._ Sable said sweetly.

_Did I?_ Ker asked.

_Uh-huh! See? That wasn’t very hard!_

_You’ve gained more of their trust. They’ll follow orders better now._

_Orders, huh?_ Ker though sadly.

_What’s bothering you Ker?_ Sable asked.

_I’m worried about Boone._ Ker replied.

_Sniper still has secrets._ Her father added.

_What? How do you know?_ Ker asked, surprised.

_NCR is counting the days until the Legion’s next assault on Hoover Dam. What better way to kill vast quantities of Legion then joining military? Sniper is military elite. Would be welcomed back with open arms. Something happened. Either military lost faith in him or he lost faith in military. Dishonourable discharge unlikely based on sniper’s conduct._

_Maybe he just left to start a family?_ Sable tried.

_Doubtful. Sniper is soldier through and through. Based on situational assessment; sniper has seen failings of the NCR. Lost faith in command structure._

_Why do you think that?_ Ker prodded further.

_Sniper is still a soldier. Is still doing a soldier’s work but has removed himself from command structure._

_So something happened to make him retire?_

_Undoubtedly._

Ker sat and thought. Eventually, down by the dying fire Boone pulled out his bedroll and lay down. Ker kept watch.

It was nearing midnight when Ker saw it; shadows on shadows, movement in the distance. She stood up and tried to discern what it was. It was still too far in the distance but its direction gave it away; it was heading straight toward the area where Vulpes’s camp was. Legion.

_Assessing situation. Four legionaries you could deal with if you weren’t injured. Take the sniper._

Ker slid down the hill and quickly knelt beside Boone. Putting a hand on his shoulder, she shook him awake. “Legion.” She said quickly and then headed for the shack. She threw open the door and said “Legion incoming!” When she was sure everyone inside was roused she went back out to find Boone already in her previous watch position. She climbed the hill to meet him.

“I don’t see them.” Boone said sternly.

“Northeast. Toward the camp we rescued the Powder Gangers from.”

“How many?”

“Small, probably four but too hard to tell at this distance.” Ker sighed.

“Let’s go.” Boone headed down the hill and out of the camp.

“What’s going on?” Veronica yawned, as she came out of the shack.

“Stay here. Keep on alert. If it’s just the four I think it is, Boone can kill them before they’re a threat. If it’s more, we’ll come back for reinforcements.” Ker said hurriedly then ran to catch up with Boone. Eventually, they found a ridge that they carefully crawled up to get a better look at the camp.

“I was right.” Ker whispered from where she lay prone beside Boone. In the distance she could see three legionaries and a centurion inspecting the camp and checking the rotting bodies. “They’re all yours.” Ker whispered. The first rifle crack was deafening in the quiet night. Ker saw the centurion’s helmet roll down the hill, having no head left to secure it in place. Two more shots came in quick succession. Ker watched the last legionary try and scurry for cover. The fourth rifle crack indicated he didn’t make it.

“Targets down.” Boone said quietly.

“Alright, I’ll go check the bodies.” Ker said getting to her feet.

“I’ll come with you.” Boone said as he too got to his feet. Ker didn’t argue. With pistol and knife drawn, Ker entered the camp with Boone behind her. She checked the four new bodies quickly then they headed back to their camp.

“Well?” Veronica greeted.

“Four more for Boone.” Ker said.

“Alright, get some sleep you two, I’ll take watch.” Veronica yawned.

They headed north the next morning and since they didn’t need any supplies they camped outside of Novac. Then they moved onto the 188 and after one more night in the desert they reached the Crimson Caravan outpost, where Cass picked up the caps she was due and Ker got paid. They then headed to Freeside.

“Are we gonna stay at the Fort again?” Veronica asked with a yawn when they stood outside the fort in the light of the setting sun.

“No, we’ve got enough salvage to afford whatever passes for accommodations around here.” Ker said absentmindedly.

“The Atomic Wrangler has rooms for rent.” Arcade added. Ker didn’t respond. “Ker?”

“Cass. The caps you were paid. Can you get me onto the strip?” Ker asked, eyes fixed on the brightly lit buildings in the distance.

“Yeah, it’s enough for two. Why? Itchin’ for revenge?” Cass drawled.

Ker dug through her pack and removed the caps she’d been paid. She handed the bag to Boone. “Go get some rooms at the place Arcade mentioned. Cass, your best bet is to get me into the Strip then join them.”

“What about you?” Cass asked.

“If things go bad, I don’t want any of you getting caught up in it. If I’m not back by dawn, assume I’m not coming back.” Ker removed her pack, laden with salvage and handed it to Veronica.

The group headed for the Strip’s entrance.

“Submit to a credit check or present your passport before proceeding to the gate. Trespassers will be shot.” The robot greeted.

Cass and Ker entered the Strip and then Cass headed back out to the waiting group.

After the group had sold their salvage they headed to the Atomic Wrangler. The Wrangler was a dingy little casino/bar/hotel. Once they had secured a pair of rooms, all four of them had sat at a table and had dinner. Then, they waited. Boone was the only one still waiting when Ker walked in after midnight. Ker stomped over to Boone’s table when she saw him.

“The others?” She asked.

“In their rooms.”

“Let’s wake ’em. This can’t wait until morning.”

A few minutes later, Ker and the others were out on the streets of Freeside with all their gear.

“What’s going on?” Veronica asked with a big yawn and a stretch.

“So we’re on the same page. Someone explain Mr. House and the Lucky 38.” Ker said plainly.

“To be concise.” Arcade began. “Mr. House is the mysterious overlord of the Strip. He controls his small empire from the confines of the Lucky 38 casino, where no other living person has set foot for over two hundred years.”

Ker smiled wickedly. “Follow me.” The group walked back to the Strip’s entrance.

“Welcome, courier. You and your companions are free to proceed.” The robot greeted.

“What?!” Veronica gasped. “What did you **do**?”

“Oh, it gets **better**.” Ker said as she walked through the gate. She headed straight toward the Lucky 38. “The package I was meant to deliver was for Mr. House.” Ker explained. “Benny was House’s right hand man but Benny got greedy and tried to steal the package, a platinum chip, from House. I got caught in the middle. I’ve volunteered to retrieve the package, since I was going to anyways.” They ascended the stairs to the Lucky 38’s doors.

“Howdy, pardner! Good to see you again!” The cowboy-faced securitron greeted.

“Hello, Victor. My friends are welcome, right?” Ker asked.

“Why, yes indeed! Just bear in mind, you're the only one gets to see the boss! Any friends you got, they can wait in the suite.” The robot said happily.

“You’re all welcome in the Lucky 38. Just don’t go to the Penthouse.” Ker explained.

“You have **got** to be kidding me!” Arcade said as they walked through the massive doors and onto the empty casino floor. “Wait, you **met** Mr. House?”

“Yeah. Well, a computer with a face.” Ker said as she led the way to the elevator. “Presidential Suite, Vic.” She said and the elevator doors opened. They all filed inside and rode the old elevator up. Ker stepped out first into the massive foyer. She gave a cockeyed smile when she turned back to them. “Looks like we’ve got a place to call home, for a little while anyways.”

Veronica stepped out next. “Is that… **air conditioning**?” She squealed.

“Yup. I already checked the place out to make sure it was safe. There’s also running water.” Ker added. “And **hot** water.”

“ **Hot** water?” Cass said stepping into the foyer.

“And several beds.” Ker finished.

“You sure know who to spoil someone!” Arcade laughed stepping out.

“What about Benny?” Boone said when he exited the elevator.

“Tomorrow.” Ker said.

Veronica squealed. “I call the first bath!” She said and ran to find the bathroom.

“Not if I beat ya there!” Cass countered. A moment later they disappeared into one of the rooms.

“Oh my god!  There are **two** bathtubs!” The three in the foyer heard Veronica yell.

“Are we safe here?” Boone asked eyeing the securitron behind them.

“As long as I’m working for Mr. House, I suppose so. The bedrooms all have locks on the doors if that makes you feel any safer.” Ker assured.

“You realize this is a **monumental** event.” Arcade added. “No one’s been in here for 200 years!”

“Try not to get us kicked out.” Ker joked as he wandered off to explore. She turned to Boone. “I’m gonna try and get some sleep.” She nodded when he nodded to her and then she headed to the master bedroom. She closed and locked the door behind her. She then dropped all her gear and stripped naked. With a combat knife in hand she crawled into bad. She slid the knife under the pillow and curled up to get some sleep.

_Fluffy bed!_ Sable squealed in joy.

_Do not get used to this luxury. The desert is where you belong, daughter._

Ker threw open the curtains to reveal a beautiful late morning sky. She put on some clothes, eager for a bath. She would check on her companions first. She found Boone with his rifle dissembled on the kitchen table, Arcade had his nose stuck in a prewar book and Veronica was staring out the big windows at the Strip below. Cass, she learned was still asleep. Ker headed to the bathroom and had a nice, long, hot bath.

When she was clean, she washed her clothes in the water with abraxo and grabbed some temporary clothes from a nearby drawer. She went out to the kitchen and joined Boone who was just reassembling his sidearm.

“How are you going to get to Benny?” He asked.

“Mr. House suggested going through Benny’s subordinate.” Ker replied as she towel dried her long hair. “You all should be safe here.”

“I’m going with you.”

Ker looked up, ready to argue, and met his eyes for a moment. “Alright, but we go in separately and you don’t get involved unless things get out of control.” She glared at him.

“And the others?”

“Arcade should be fine with the books, Cass is **still** asleep and I have something to distract Veronica.” Ker said as she braided her hair. “Ten minutes?” He nodded. Ker got up. “Veronica!”

“Yeah, Ker?” Veronica called back.

“You **have** to see what I found in my closet.”

Ten minutes later, Ker and Boone rode the elevator down to the casino floor. Boone went into the Tops first. He checked his guns, but kept his combat knife hidden. He immediately recognized the man in the checkered coat. He was surrounded by four bodyguards, all armed. Boone took up a spot close enough to Benny that he could hear him flirting with the nearby gambling girls. Absentmindedly, Boone started to gamble so as not to look suspicious. He’d lost about a hundred caps and knew enough about Benny to find his room if necessary when Ker walked in. She made a fuss about checking her guns then stayed at the front desk for a while, chatting with the men there. He saw the man she was talking to kept glancing over toward Benny. Fifty caps gained later, Boone saw Ker slip something to the man at the counter. Whatever it was surprised him. He slipped it back and they argued a bit. Then he slipped something to Ker. Ker nodded and looked Boone’s way. She stomped toward Benny. He was too enamoured with the gambling girls to see Ker approach and his bodyguards let her through. Showing her empty hands to the bodyguards she grabbed Benny’s shoulder and spun him around.

“What in the goddamn...?” Benny shouted, his eyes going wide. “Let's keep this in the groove, hey? Smooth moves. Hello! That broad everyone saw go in the Lucky 38, that was you?” Benny hesitated for a moment. “Shit.”

_Assessing situation. Body guards are higher priority. Get in close to be better prepared for violence._

“Give me **one** good reason not to kill you.” Ker seethed.

“You want a reason, how about four? They're called bodyguards, and every one of them is packing. Me, too - so baby makes five.” He patted the holster under his arm. “Add to that every Chairman in this joint is armed, and not with some hold-out peashooter like maybe you smuggled through security. Anyhow, baby, you didn't come here for vengeance. You came to get clued in.”

_Adding easy to steal pistol to list of useable assets._

“You think I need a weapon to be **dangerous**? I dug myself out of that grave to put you in yours, Benny!” Ker took the hint from Benny and as her right hand went for her knife her left hand grabbed for his gun. The bodyguards were fast, but Ker was faster. Two died to her stolen gun before they could draw. The third fired a wild shot before he had a knife in his throat. The last shot at Ker but she danced aside and shot him with the ornate pistol. That left just Benny. He turned to run.

“Run and I’ll just shoot you in the back.” Ker shouted. Most of the casino goers were hiding on the floor by now. Boone had hopped out of his chair. He was crouched, ready to help, but it seemed he wasn’t needed. He looked around and saw that while the casinos security had their guns out, none were aimed.

Benny slowly turned back to Ker hands up in surrender. “Hey, baby, there's no need for violence. We can sort this out.” His eyes darted to the casino security pleading for help. None was offered. Boone saw Ker take a deep breath.

“I want the Platinum Chip and I want it **now**.” Ker ground out.

“I can't do that, baby, and you know it. There's a lot of angles to this caper - complexities aplenty. But plenty of action, too - enough for both of us. But we don't jabber about that out here in public.”

“Now, or **else**.” Ker approached close enough to have the blade of her combat knife inches from Benny’s throat.

_Kill him and be done with it. We have more important matters to attend to._

_Don’t kill him! He might know something!_ Sable added.

“Or else what, punk? Or else **this**?” Benny made a grab for the knife. Ker slit his throat first. He fell to his knees, blood gushing from his neck. Ker raised his pistol and shot him in the eye. He fell over dead. Ker holstered the pistol and searched the body. Finding what she was after she stomped back to the door. Boone followed.

“Holy fuck!” The man at the desk said when they got close. “Remind me never to piss you off. I thought Benny was being paranoid with four bodyguards, apparently he needed more!”

“Sorry about the mess, Swank.” Ker said quietly. “Weapons?”

“Yeah.” He looked over at Boone. “He with you?” Ker nodded and Swank produced all of their weapons, which they fit back where they belonged.

“Congratulations on your promotion Swank.” Ker said and turned to leave. “All this over a fucking poker chip.” She whispered. They left the casino.

“The eyes of the mighty Caesar are upon you. He admires your accomplishments, and bestows upon you the exceptional gift of his Mark.” The dapper gentleman stopped Ker outside and held out a large metal coin. Ker looked at the coin. Boone hesitated to draw his rifle; too many civilians and securitrons.

_Frumentarius. Eliminate._

“Your crimes against the Legion, including the death of the fearless Vulpes Inculta, are hereby forgiven. Caesar will not extend this mercy again.” Ker looked the man in the face. Before he could blink, Ker delivered a right cross squarely into his jaw, staggering the frumentarius. “I see.” He said as he stood upright. “I shall convey your response to Caesar.” He turned and walked away.

“Boone.” Ker said quietly. “The Presidential Suite’s balcony overlooks Freeside.” Boone understood. “I’ll tail him.”

Ten minutes later, a rifle shot echoed throughout the Strip. Ker got back to the Lucky 38’s Presidential Suite a few minutes later.

“What the **hell** , Ker?!” Arcade said when she walked in.

“What?” Ker asked confused.

“Boone is **shooting** off the balcony now? And you told **me** not to get us kicked out!”

“Frumentarius on the Strip. Tried to give me this.” She tossed the large, bloody coin to Arcade.

“What the hell is this?”

“The Mark of Caesar.”

_The Mark of Caesar. If only Caesar knew what you really are._

Arcade’s jaw dropped. “ **The** Mark of Caesar?! As in free passage through Legion territory?!”

“I’d rather shoot my way through.” Ker said as she collapsed on the couch. “By the way, nice shot Boone.” She grinned.

Boone nodded, and then grimaced. “You’re bleeding.”

“What?” Ker asked checking herself over. He was right. High on her left arm was a bullet graze. “Guess I wasn’t fast enough.” She said.

“He **attacked** you?” Arcade asked as he went to grab his gear.

“No, Benny had bodyguards.”

“Had? He’s dead?” Arcade asked when he was back in the room. Ker reached into her pocket and removed the slightly bloody platinum chip. “ **That’s** it?

“Yup.” She said.

“All of this over **that**?” He asked as he cleaned her wound.

“Are you done?” Ker asked.

“I need to bandage this.”

“Don’t bother. I need to talk to House.” She stood and headed to the elevator.

“Be careful.” Boone said before the doors closed.

Everyone was waiting when Ker returned. She motioned for them to join her in the elevator. They did so but she didn’t speak until she had led them out of the Lucky 38 and onto the Strip.

_We couldn’t have asked for a better hand to play._ Ker’s father said happily. _A weapon to push back the Legion **and** the NCR. In our hands, it will cut a bloody swath through the enemy troops._

_More killing? Will it ever end?_

_No. My daughter will not lay down her weapons until the Legion is annihilated._

“The platinum chip upgraded the attack capabilities of the securitrons on the Strip.” Ker said as she took a seat on a bench. “That coupled with something the chip activates under Fortification Hill will let Mr. House stay independent from the NCR and the Legion.” She explained calmly to the shocked faces around her.

“What’s under Fortification Hill?” Arcade asked.

“Dunno.”

“It would have to be something powerful to push back the NCR **and** the Legion.” Arcade mused aloud.

“Yup.” Ker popped the P as she stared off into the distance.

“Ker?” Veronica asked, waving a hand in front of Ker’s eyes. “Ker!” She tried again.

“House wants me to take the chip to the Fort and activate his trump card.”

“What are you going to do?” Arcade asked. There was a long pause.

“I’ve always wanted to see the ocean.” Ker said wistfully.

_The ocean?! Really Ker?! No kidding?!_ Sable squealed.

“What?” Veronica asked, confused.

“Maybe I’ll go west.” Ker said absently. “Hmm… I don’t know how well I’d cope with being in NCR territory. Maybe south then.”

“Ker? Are you still with us?” Arcade asked snapping his finger in front of her.

“Enough, Arcade. You asked what I was gonna do.”

“You’re **leaving**?” Veronica asked.

_Leaving is not an option!_ Her father shouted. _You were created to kill the Legion. You will not retreat!_

“Why not?” Ker asked finally focusing on the people before her. “I owe nothing to the Mojave, or the NCR or the Legion. So why should I fight at **all**?”

“We need to stop the Legion!” Arcade declared.

“I’ve already **done** my part of that!” Ker said coolly.

“No one’s saying you haven’t, but **someone** has to stand against the Legion.” Veronica pleaded.

Ker reached into her pocket and pulled out the chip. “Here.” She held it out. “Take it and help Mr. House rule the Mojave. Or destroy his trump card and help the NCR. Or maybe you could find a way to end House and use his trump card yourself. Just remember this is a **history** making decision. **Thousands** of people will die no matter which one you choose.” She held the chip up with two fingers. “Whose shoulders are broad enough to carry the weight of those lives?” Ker asked as she looked at the eyes of the people around her. “Men, women, children. A lot of lives hang in the balance and this chip will tip the scales. Why should **I** have to make that decision?”

“Arcade, the followers are humanitarians. You could make Vegas independent. House wants to revive old technology, maybe he could start with medicine. Who knows where he’ll go from there; maybe more nuclear warheads to protect himself?” Ker held the chip out to him. Arcade just shook his head.

“Veronica, **think** of what your family could do with this power; the good **and** the bad. Would you trust them with it?” Veronica shook her head.

“Boone, the NCR isn’t perfect, but they try. But do they try hard enough? Can you trust a bureaucrat back west to properly use this power? With all the hands grabbing for it, can you assure it won’t be used improperly?” Boone looked away.

“Cass-“

“Don’t ask me cause I don’t want it.” Cass spat.

“So **why** me?” Ker asked harshly.

“It has to be someone. Why **not** you?” Arcade asked.

“I’m a murdering, warmonger with a chip on my shoulder and trust issues!”

“Who isn’t out here?” Cass asked.

Ker looked up at Cass, ginning wickedly. “In for a bullet, in for a mag.”

_Critical failure at decision making detected. Chip will be used to gain access to a weapon you will turn on the Legion!_

“Oh no.” Arcade gasped.

“ **We** have three options and who **we** back will most likely win the Mojave. The NCR, Mr. House or take House’s power and rule ourselves. I’ll stall House for a while so we have time to look at our options. We need a consensus. All **five** of us have to agree. If you have a strong opinion one way, you may need to convince the others.”

“Only to play devil’s advocate, but couldn’t we also back the Legion?” Arcade said.

“I don’t think anyone here would choose that option.” Ker replied.

“Why do you **trust** us with this decision?” Veronica asked.

“I can’t make this decision alone. I don’t know enough about the elements involved. We have quite the varied group here; different factions, different histories, different opinions. Maybe it will make the decision easier.” Ker thought aloud.

“And if we don’t want to be part of this?” Cass asked.

“I suppose abstaining from choosing is a choice but qui tacet consentire videtur. He who is silent is seen to agree. No choice means you agree with whatever the rest choose.” Ker paused. “I guess that’s it. Oh, don’t talk about this in the Lucky 38. I would bet Mr. House is listening in.” She stood up and led everyone back to the Lucky 38. Arcade went back to the books and Veronica tried to get Cass to look at the dresses with her.

“Boone.” Ker said before he left the foyer. “Here.” She held out Benny’s ornate 9mm pistol to him. He eyed it suspiciously. “This gun nearly killed me. I don’t want anything to do with it. Keep it, sell it, scrap it or disassemble it and scatter the parts across the Mojave. I don’t care.” He took the gun from her and nodded. Ker nodded back and headed off for a long bath.

After she had washed off all of Benny’s blood, Ker headed to the kitchen. She found the cupboards stuffed with old world food. It wasn’t particularly easy to turn the old food into something actually enjoyable, but Ker had experience and lots of variety, so she started to try. Her first sign of success was when Veronica walked into the room, sniffing the air.

“What amazing creation do you have for us this time?” She asked happily.

“It’s old world food. So we’ll see how good it turns out.” Ker said as she cooked. Veronica watched her cook and set the table. Soon Ker was finished. “Dinner! Come and get it before Veronica eats it all!” Veronica stuck her tongue out at Ker as the other joined them.

“I’ve been thinking.” Ker started when food was on the table. “I want to learn more about the NCR. It’s not right to discount them simply because my father hated them.” She thought for a second. “Even though I am opposed to how they handled Boulder City, I **can** understand Primm and Nelson.”

_You know all you need to know about the NCR._ Her father seethed.

“Camp McCarran is the NCR’s base of operations in the Mojave.” Arcade added.

“Where’s that?” Ker asked.

“You can get there via the monorail from the Strip but they usually only allow soldiers on. Otherwise, you’d have to walk.” He explained.

“Alright. Boone, want to go to McCarran? See what’s to see? Maybe show me around?” Ker asked.

“Alright.” He agreed quickly.

“The rest of you might as well stay here. I doubt you’d want to spend several days in an NCR camp Veronica. And you can check in with the Followers, Arcade. And Cass… well you might as well enjoy the Strip while you’re here.” Ker explained.

“I’ve been thinking too.” Veronica joined in. “If this is going to be home base and we’re gonna split up, it might be nice to have a way to stay in contact.”

“Oh?” Ker asked, intrigued.

“It wouldn’t take much to set up a radio here. We could get a few handhelds and people can stay in contact with the Lucky 38.” Veronica explained.

“You can **do** that?” Ker asked in surprise.

“Sure. We got power here, and this place will act like one giant antenna. We’ll need to avoid some frequencies used by the NCR and other folks out here. It shouldn’t be too hard. **If** I can find the parts. Those will cost caps.”

“You can have whatever we have left. Boone and I will try to make more while we’re out.” Ker said quickly.

“Alright!” Veronica rubbed her hands together in anticipation. “I’ll try to have it ready when you guys get back.”

Ker was lying in bed later that night, unable to sleep. Her father was furious with her decision to go to Camp McCarran. He repeatedly lectured her on her duty and obligation to kill legionaries. Sable was curiously absent. Ker tossed and turned, trying to sleep but the more she ignored her father’s voice the louder it seemed to get.


	7. Bait

# Chapter 7: Bait

 

Ker and Boone left the Strip early the next morning. They walked in quiet companionship, stopping only occasionally for Boone to kill a few Fiends in the distance. In early evening they saw the entrance to the old airport. It was well guarded.

“First Recon is stationed here.” Boone said, breaking the hours long silence.

“That was your unit. Feel free to visit while we’re here.” Ker said.

“Halt. Identify yourselves and state your business.” The guard called lazily from his post.

_Do not enter this camp._ Her father growled. _They will lead you astray._

“Uh… mercs, I guess. Looking for work.” Ker said, shifting uneasily at the rows of tents she could see beyond the gate.

“See Major Dhatri about the Fiend bounties.” The guard replied and opened the gate. Ker stiffly followed Boone in. He seemed to know where he was going, so Ker just followed. He led them around tents and past soldiers until he arrived at his destination.

“Major.” Boone called from the doorway of the tent, saluting.

“If it's bad news, you can take it up with the Colonel. If it’s good news, it better involve some dead Fiends.” The Major said without looking up from his desk. Finally, he finished what he was writing and looked up. “Son of a bitch! Sergeant Boone! What the hell are you doing here?” He said happily as he motioned for them to come in. Boone went in and Ker stayed close at his shoulder. “You’re not here to reenlist, are you?”

“No, sir.”

“Dammit. You know, I lost one of my best snipers when you left.” Ker saw Boone stand straighter at the compliment. “We could really use you at the dam when the Legion hits. Anyway, if you’re here, it’s for a reason. What can I do for you?”

_One of the best snipers in First Recon. Adding information to threat assessment. Threat level extreme at all ranges beyond close. Consider removing the sniper while still able to get close to him._ Ker’s father suggested.

“Looking to be of use, sir.” Boone stated plainly.

“Heard about the Fiend bounties, did ya?” Major Dhatri laughed. “I've got three Fiends I want dead, and I don't give a goddamn how it gets done. That sound like something that interests you?”

_Bounties are a waste of time. The Legion is what matters_. Ker’s father grumbled.

“Yes, sir.”

“First one calls herself Violet. God knows why - the name is the prettiest thing about her. Spends most of her time with a pack of vicious dogs. Then there's Driver Nephi. He's fast and he's brutal. Killed about a dozen of my men with a goddamn driver iron. Hence his name. And finally... Cook-cook. Rapist. Pyromaniac. And damn good chef, if you believe the Fiends we've captured. Probably the craziest of the lot. I'm not going to feed you any bullshit. These aren't your common Vegas trash. They've all killed good NCR men, and plenty of mercs, too. You go after them - any of them - you're in for a hell of a fight. So... which one is it going to be?”

“All three, sir.”

The major laughed loudly. “That’s what I like to hear! Anyone else and I’d think they were crazy but you just might manage it! Alright, you’ll need info on you marks. Well, with Violet, watch out for the dogs. Nephi is one tough son of a bitch. You let him get close, and he'll take your head off. Alpha Team wants a crack at the bastard, so talk to Gorobets. And Cook-Cook. The piece of shit is pure animal. He raped one of my snipers, and that makes this personal. Also... he's got a flamethrower, and he's damn good with it.”

“Raped?” Ker heard the hint of concern in Boone’s voice.

“Corporal Betsy.” Ker saw Boone’s shoulders shake at that and he clenched his fist.

“Understood, sir.”

“One more thing, Boone. No headshots. If you want the full reward, you need to bring me a recognizable head. My superiors need proof they're gone.”

“Understood, sir.”

“Good hunting, sergeant.” Major Dhatri said with a smile. Boone nodded, saluted, turned and left the tent. Ker followed after him. After a few feet, she cleared her throat loudly

_Something is wrong with the sniper._ Sable whispered.

“You okay?” Ker asked.

“We’re killing Cook-Cook.” He said coldly without turning.

“I figured we’d kill them all.” Ker said. He nodded stiffly. “Where to next?”

“Need approval from the base commander if we’re gonna stay the night.” Boone turned to face her and explained.

_Do not stay in this camp._ Ker’s father demanded.

“Stay? **Here**?” Ker asked in surprise.

“Don’t have many other options.” He replied

“Ugh… You’re right.” Ker groaned. “There are just so many **people**.” She said uncomfortably.

“We should find Colonel Hsu.” Boone said. Ker sighed and nodded. Boone headed toward the large building. They were let in without a fuss and Boone led them to a door. Upon which, he knocked.

“Come in.” Was called from behind the door. Boone entered and saluted while Ker followed close.

“I'm pretty good with faces; you’re not currently serving, are you?” Colonel Hsu stood up from his desk and asked when they entered.

“No, sir.” Boone answered.

“Hmm… a retired First Recon sniper and woman in a duster with a long, black braid…” Hsu thought for a second. “Would that make you the courier, then?” He asked.

_We have a reputation?!_ Sable said incredulously.

_We have a reputation._ Ker’s father growled.

“Me?” Ker asked, surprised anyone had spoken to her. “Uhh… yeah.” She said carefully.

“That would make you the two who liberated Nelson.” Hsu said happily.

“Yes, sir.” Boone replied. Ker could hear the pride in his voice.

“And held Lieutenant Monroe at gunpoint in Boulder City.” The colonel said sternly.

“That was me.” Ker said nonchalantly. “Did it save him a court martial?”

“I see.” Colonel Hsu said flatly, obviously putting the pieces together.

“Nobody died, so **I’d** call that a win.” Ker said with a shrug.

“I suppose I’m inclined to agree, though I don’t approve of your methods.” The colonel said less sternly.

“Don’t worry, Boone didn’t either.” Ker sighed jerking a thumb to her partner who she was sure she was embarrassing.

Colonel Hsu seemed to size them up. “There’s also an unconfirmed report going around that you two are responsible for a dead fox in Nipton.”

“Heh, we had help with that one.” Ker said happily.

“If that’s true, having Vulpes Inculta out of the way should significantly hinder the work of the Legion’s frumentarii.” Hsu declared. “Now that I know where you stand, what can I help you with?”

“Request permission to stay in camp while we deal with Major Dhatri’s bounties, sir.” Boone took the reins of the conversation again and Ker was glad to let him.

“The Fiend bounties?” The colonel asked surprised. “Of course. I’ll have someone escort you to an available tent. Stay as long as you need to.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“…Thanks…” Ker added quietly. The pair followed a private to a tent near the east wall. Ker entered it and dropped her pack onto one of the beds.

“Sorry if I got you in trouble.” Ker said a bit meekly.

“I’m retired.” Boone replied as he sat on one of the beds.

“Yeah, but if you decided to reenlist.”

“I won’t.”

“But you seem…. comfortable here.” Ker said quietly. “What happened to put you at odds with the military?” Ker asked.

“I was at Bitter Springs.” From the way he said it, she knew that it was a bad thing but she’d never heard of Bitter Springs. He seemed to think she **should** have heard of it. She could fake it or…

“I’m sorry, Boone. I don’t know what that is.” Ker said sitting on her bed across from him.

“Not surprising. People don’t like to talk about it.” She could tell ‘people’ included him.

“You don’t have to talk about it.” Ker tried. “I **know** recounting bad memories is hard.”

He brought his eyes up to hers. “I told you I've got bad things coming to me.”

“Yeah but-“ Ker cut herself off, realizing. “It’s because of Bitter Springs that you think that.”

He nodded. “Life has a way of punishing you for the mistakes you make. Big enough mistake, punishment can take a while.”

“Losing your **family** wasn’t enough?” Ker asked surprised.

He shook his head. “I’m still alive.”

“Maybe you can make up for your mistakes?”

“A murderer who does good deeds is still a murderer. And he'll still get his judgment. I left the NCR when my tour was up. Had enough of war. Decided I was gonna start over. None of it made a difference in the end.”

_Had enough of war? Was gonna start over? That’s an option?_ Sable asked in confusion.

_Negative. War is in your blood, daughter._

“The nightmares are Bitter Springs, then?” Ker asked carefully.

“Sometimes.”

“Have you ever considered going back there?” Ker tried.

“No.” Boone stood then. “I need some air.” He walked out of the tent.

“Dammit, Ker!” Ker mentally kicked herself for saying the wrong thing. What was she supposed to do now? She couldn’t sleep; she had too much to think about. She didn’t want to wander the camp; there were too many people around as it was.

She stepped into the doorway of the tent to look around. About twenty feet away was a campfire with a single soldier eating beside it. Ker sighed and walked over and sat down without making eye contact. The soldier seems to understand what that meant and just kept eating. She didn’t know how long she was staring into the fire before she reached into her pack and pulled out her harmonica. She looked around, the soldier was gone and she was alone. It was quiet but still not late; she didn’t think anyone would mind.

She started playing. She hadn’t realized how much she missed playing until she’d played for her companions. It was the only thing she could think of that her father taught her that **didn’t** revolve around killing legionaries. She didn’t notice when the first trooper quietly joined her at the campfire. She just played one song into the next; slow and sad. Exactly how she felt. The crowd that slowly gathered stayed quiet, perhaps noticing her eyes were close as she played and not wanting to disturb here. She finally quieted her wild thoughts and started to relax. She threw herself into the last song, enjoying the familiar sounds and feelings of playing. She drew out the last note and smiled to herself as she lowered the harmonica.

Applause erupted from all around her and Ker’s eyes flew open to see dozens of soldiers gathered around the fire. The applause slowly died down and Ker tried to calm herself enough to speak.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bother anyone.” She said timidly, not liking all the attention.

“Are you kidding?” A soldier laughed. “That’s the best thing we’ve had around here in weeks!”

“What is that you’re playing?” One soldier asked.

“It’s a harmonica, doofus.” Another said, slapping him on the shoulder.

“I thought only rangers played those things.” A female soldier added.

“She’s a bit **young** to be a ranger.” One soldier laughed.

“Alright, alright. Enough bothering the young lady.” A soldier who must have had authority said because the other soldiers started to disperse. One soldier walked toward her.

“Been a **mighty** long time since I’ve heard one of those played so well.” He said as he sat near the fire. “Back before we were NCR.”

“Ranger, then?” Ker asked hesitantly fiddling with the harmonica in her hands.

_Ranger. Threat level high. Stay on guard._

“Ranger Bryce Anders at your service.” He said happily. “Can I ask where you learned?”

_Lie._ Her father demanded.

Ker looked at her hands. “My father.” She said quietly.

“He’s a ranger then?” Anders asked.

“Was.” Ker corrected.

“Did your father have a name? Maybe I knew him.” Anders asked. Ker shook her head briskly. “Ah, alright then. I didn’t mean to pry. Just thinking back to the old days got me wondering. I’ll leave you be.” Anders got up. “Thanks for the music, miss.” With that he left her alone at the campfire.

“Making friends?” She heard from off to the side when the ranger was gone.

“No. Rangers make me nervous.” Ker responded to the voice she recognized. “Find some air?” Ker asked while he sat beside her.

“And something else.” He took something off his shoulder and set it between them. The firelight reflected off the newly installed scope. The wooden stock was well maintained for its age; showing only a few nicks and scratches. The butt of the rifle even had a rubber cap over it for better grip and impact cushioning.

“New rifle?” She asked as she looked over the rifle.

“Not mine.” She thought she heard a hint of amusement in his voice.

“Then… wait. You got this for **me**?!” Ker asked, genuinely surprised. Boone just nodded. Ker wasn’t sure what to do or say. She didn’t expect much from the world or the people in it. This was beyond anything she expected. “I can’t…” She started, realizing this rifle probably cost about as much a pair of credit checks for the Strip.

_Sniper must have ulterior motive._ He father declared.

_A present? And it isn’t even your birthday!_ Sable laughed.

“Just take it.”

Ker looked between him and the rifle between them. She wanted to say something else in protest; he could buy a good set of armour for the cost of this rifle. A **really** good set. She finally relented, reached over and picked it up. She could immediately tell the weapon had been cleaned and oiled recently. She pointed the rifle at the wall while she looked down the sight. It was as heavy as she remembered and she shifted her grip slightly so she could handle it properly. She then laid the rifle in her lap.

“I don’t know what to say.” Ker admitted shyly. “I’m not good at…” She wasn’t good at saying the right things. Couple that with the surprise that he’d gone through all this effort for **her** and Ker was left speechless. How had he even afforded it? Maybe he had pull around here? Or back pay? Or… **Benny’s** gun. It finally clicked. Benny’s gun was one of a kind and probably worth a small fortune. She hadn’t thought of that at the time. Boone could have taken the caps and left or even just kept the caps. Instead he got her a new rifle. She didn’t quite understand it. She’d probably wonder for a while. She did owe him one thing though. “Thank you.” She said shyly. He didn’t respond. They sat quietly while Ker admired her new rifle.

“Major Dhatri said First Recon Alpha Team wants a shot at Nephi.” Boone said quietly.

“We can start with him tomorrow then.” Boone nodded at that.

Ker didn’t sleep too well in the army camp. But it didn’t matter; she was used to little sleep. In the morning, Boone showed Ker to the quartermaster where she was able to get some .308 ammo. Then she followed as he led the way through the camp.

“Lieutenant.” Boone said as they approached a large tent. Ker immediately noticed the lieutenant’s red beret.

“Son of a bitch. The major **wasn’t** pulling my leg. You actually **are** here.” Gorobets said happily as he stuck out a hand and shook hands with Boone. “The major says you’re taking a crack at the Fiend bounties.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Alpha Team has a debt to settle with Nephi. We've seen too many of our boys get brained by that golf club of his. He's strong as a brahmin bull, and he's fast. Seems like he usually runs with a gang of Fiends. Uses them for cover. We haven't been able to get a clean shot at him.” Gorobets shook his head.

“Sounds like you need bait.” Ker added quietly with a bit of a grin.

“ **You**?” Gorobets asked in surprise as he looked her over. “No offense miss, but we’re talking **dozens** of armed Fiends. Along with Nephi who’s taken down men **twice** your size.”

“Can you do it?” Boone asked, looking over at her.

_Assessing situation. Baiting dozen of armed Fiends into range of allied snipers. Success depends on distance that needs to be covered. Injuries highly likely. Situation should be avoided. Fiends are not worth your time._

“Bait… Sight unseen? I’d say yes.” Ker said carefully.

“If she says she can do it, she can.” Boone added.

“It's one hell of a risk you'd be taking. But if you're willing... we'll do everything we can to keep you alive.” Gorobets said surprised.

“As long as your team shoots as well as Boone, I’m not worried.” Ker smirked.

“No one shoots **quite** as well as Boone, but I think we’ll manage.” Gorobets laughed. “Let’s go gather the team then.” Gorobets lead the way to the nearby large tent. Ker saw three soldiers wearing red berets lazing inside and one with a ranger hat. “Form up!” Gorobets shouted and the soldiers stood at attention. “A merc has volunteered to play the bait to lure out Nephi for us.”

“ **A** merc? Just one?” The old man in the ranger’s hat said. “Send him packing LT. He’ll just get himself killed.”

“I think we’ll take her up on her offer. She’s been recommended by someone we can trust.” The lieutenant stepped into the tent and stepped aside revealing Boone, with Ker all but hiding behind him.

“Son of a bitch?! Boone?! What the hell are you doing here?!” The woman laughed.

“Here to kill Fiends.” Boone said in an almost friendly tone.

_He’s different all of a sudden. More at ease. This is where he wants to be, if it weren’t for this Bitter Springs._ Sable sighed.

“If **you** have someone to play the bait this might actually be worth our time.” The old sniper said.

“Gear up! We’re heading out in five!” Ker watched as the snipers scurried around and gathered their gear. Boone stepped into the tent but Ker just stepped aside and waited alone outside. The snipers soon filed out of the tent with their rifles and packs. Each one sizing her up as they passed. When Boone came out last Ker slipped in behind him.

The group left McCarran and Gorobets lead the way southwest toward Fiend territory.

“Where’d you find a cute piece of ass like her, Boone?” The female sniper asked roughly. Judging by how Boone flinched at the remark, Ker assumed something was wrong.

“Betsy.” Gorobets ground out.

“Fine. Fine. How about what the hell brought you to McCarran, Boone?”

Boone looked over at Ker. She shrugged. “Caps.” Boone said. It was mostly true.

“So you pick the most dangerous job you can find?” The woman laughed.

“You never introduced us to your new partner, Boone.” The old sniper said.

“I’m Ker.” Ker answered.

“Ker?” The older man asked.

“Or Courier.” Ker added.

“How’d you get suckered into this?” One of the young male snipers asked coldly.

“Volunteered.” Ker answered.

“Ha! I like you, girl!” The female sniper laughed.

The group continued southwest, drawing their rifles upon entering Fiend territory. Two hours after they left McCarran, they arrived at an old rock crushing plant. They took cover behind the buildings.

“Nephi calls that building home, along with a lot of Fiends.” Gorobets pointed to a partly collapsed building far in the distance. “This is the only cover where we can get close enough for a shot but we’re **still** too far out for a clean shot. You need to draw Nephi out and bring him and his lackeys a hundred yards closer for us to be able to take the shot **without** putting you in danger.” Ker nodded.

Everyone spread out to find a good vantage point. Ker sat with Boone behind a building. She took off her pack and left her new rifle with it against the building. Then she sat with her back against the building and closed her eyes.

“Sure you wanna do this?” Ker heard the gravelly voice from beside her.

“Yes. Just give me a moment.” She tried to calm her wild nerves. “The last time I did this… my partner abandoned me.”

“I’m not him.”

“I **know** that.” She assured. She took a few deep breathes and then checked the ammo in her pistols. Then, one more deep breath. “Let’s do this shit.” Ker said; a pistol in each hand. She stood up and stalked off toward the building.

_This is a mistake. This risk should be avoided. You should only strike at the Legion._ Ker’s father roared. Ker ignored him and focused on what she had to do.

Nothing bothered her on the way to the building but the closer she got the more noise she heard. It sounded like a party was going on in the building. She reached the outer wall and found a door. She could hear the party roaring further inside. She slipped in through the door to find a mostly empty room. She found another door and knew the Fiends were on the other side. She kicked in the door.

The instant she was sure they were all Fiends she started firing both pistols. It took the Fiends a second to respond. When they did, they scrambled for weapons. Ker fired seven shots from each gun then she retreated back to the outer door. From there, she emptied both pistols. She dropped one, reloaded the other and drew her knife. She started to sprint toward the rock crushing plant. An unbelievably fast Fiend caught her and she wasted precious seconds shooting him and then slashing his throat. She knew there’d be fast Fiends since some would be high on Jet. They were her biggest threat. The Fiends started pouring out of the building. She tried to get away from the building as fast as she could while still shooting the Fiends who got close. Sooner then she’d hoped, her pistol clicked and she dropped it. She started to focus on covering distance but some Fiends where stupidly fast and got ahead of her. She had no choice but to waste more time dodging their clumsy attacks. She heard gun shots but they were just small caliber snaps and pops. She covered more distance before she felt a ripping pain in her side. In her peripheral vision she saw the blood blossoming from what she assumed was a gunshot wound in her left side. She kept running.

Finally she heard the echoing crack of a hunting rifle and heard a Fiend fall to the ground. She ran further until she heard more rifles. She turned back toward the building just in time to jump back out of the way of a long metal weapon. She dodged and parried the long weapon, noticing the Fiend was being **very** careful where he placed himself. She dodged hard to the left; he followed, keeping her between him and the rock crushing plant. The son of a bitch **knew**. This must be Nephi; the weapon, a golf club. Ker heard the shots around her taking down the dozens of Fiends that were clear of her but she was blocking any shot at Nephi. Nephi was fast but not as fast as Vulpes had been. Nephi did have the advantage in the long, light weapon that kept her too far away to do any damage. She engaged Nephi with as much vigor as she could muster, trying to find an opening. He brought the club around to try and catch her in the side but she slipped under it and planted her combat knife in his foot. The knife got stuck in his boot and she left it behind as she tried to spring back up to get some distance. Nephi howled as he wrapped his arms around her grabbing her in a bear hug when she was on her feet. He squeezed as hard as he could; forcing the wind out of her. Her arms were pinned at her side; leaving one hand close to the second knife on her belt. She drew it as she kneed him in the crotch. The knee gave her enough space to slip the knife into his stomach. She twisted the knife and his grip on her loosened enough for her to break free. She pulled from his grip and back peddled several steps, trying to get her balance before she fell on her butt. From her position on her back she heard the crack of a rifle.

_Get. Up._ Her father demanded.

She knew she should get some more distance so she tried to get to her feet. The pain in her side returned and she fell back to the dirt. Her mind went through several options as the rifle shots rang out. She eventually decided to stay in place on the ground. She was out of the way of the snipers. She’d have to trust Boone to keep her safe. She didn’t want to. She put pressure on her wound and waited.

Slowly, the rifle shots became less frequent. Ker stared up at the sky, focusing on staying alert. She was just noticing the quiet when she heard running from nearby. She took a deep breath and tried to sit up. She managed to get to her elbow under her. She thought she heard something familiar.

“Ker!” She recognized her name and the voice the second time.

_Boone to the rescue!_ Sable laughed.

“Boone.” She said with a grin. “Think that bastard didn’t like snipers.” It didn’t come out quite as clear as she had hoped. Boone knelt beside her and he pushed her back to the ground before rooting through what might have been her pack. Likely for the few medical supplies she had brought with them instead of Arcade.

“Move your hand.” Boone said gently. “I need to see the wound.” Ker moved her hand and felt the cool blood seep further down her side. “Shit.” She heard. She barely felt the pinch of the Stimpak over the pain in her side. She felt pressure on her side again and tried not to cry out. “Ker? You still with me?” Boone appeared over her, looking her in the eyes.

“Can’t get rid of me that easily.” She said sternly. “Still got shit to do.” She was getting cold and tired. She knew those were bad signs.

“Boone. How is she?” Ker heard another voice she recognized

“Need to stop the bleeding.” Boone said earnestly.

“Here.” Ker wasn’t really following what was going on.

“Ker, this is gonna hurt like hell.” That got a bit of her attention. She felt the pressure on her side recede. Then she felt the sting of a thousand needles in her side. She tried not to scream. She gritted her teeth against the pain. The pain never receded but she did everything she could not to cry out. Whatever Boone did to her stomach he did again to her lower back. She didn’t cry out. She wouldn’t give them the **satisfaction**. Finally she was lying on her back; pain radiating up her chest and back. Old pain, familiar pain. Ker started laughing. It wasn’t a happy laugh; it was an almost insane laugh.

“Ker?” Boone asked, confused that one of the most painful field first aid treatments had her **laughing**. Was she in shock?

Ker’s laughter died down to soft chuckles. “Aw… you’ll have to do better than **that**.” She said, but she obviously wasn’t speaking to Boone.

“Ker?” Boone tried again.

“Quickclot?” She asked, suddenly, surprisingly aware.

“Yeah.” Boone answered.

“Man, I love that stuff.” She smiled happily up at Boone then she frowned slightly. “We’re in the open.”

Boone looked around, seeing First Recon still in position, covering them. “We’re safe.”

_Get. Up._ Her father demanded again.

“Help me up.” She said and raised a hand. Boone hesitated but stood and helped her to her feet. She staggered when she got there but he caught her and put her arm over his shoulder. Glancing over he could see she was gritting her teeth against the pain. It took them a while to limp back to the cover of the rock crushing plant. When they got there Boone eased Ker down against one of the buildings. Then dropped their gear and pulled out some water which he passed to Ker, who was pale and her shirt was soaked in blood.

“That son of a bitch **knew** we were coming!” Ker heard as the female sniper approached where Ker sat.

“Knew where we were set up too.” One of the young men added.

“Used me as cover.” Ker sighed before shaking her head briskly.

“Goddammit! If we’d known we never would have asked you to play the bait.” Gorobets said as he joined them.

“You didn’t **ask**. I volunteered.” Ker said as she rested her head back against the wall. “That was a **lot** of Fiends by the way.”

“Speaking of which, where the fuck did you learn to fight?” The woman asked. Ker smiled a bit. “I’ve never seen **anyone** fight like that!”

Realization dawned on Ker. “Ugh.” She said. “My weapons.”

“I got em.” Boone said. “Make sure she doesn’t lose consciousness?” Boone asked.

“Of course.” The old sniper responded and Boone disappeared around the building. “You never answered Betsy’s question.” The old sniper prodded.

“My father… was a Desert Ranger.” Ker said carefully then took a drink of water.

“Where the hell did you pick up Boone?” Betsy asked.

“Novac. Came with me to clear Nelson.”  Ker grinned at that.

“Rumour is that was done by two people. Makes more sense now, if Boone was covering someone who fights like you.” The old sniper mused.

Boone returned a short while later and handed back her weapons, which she reloaded and holstered. His pack was also full and he had Nephi’s golf club. Lastly he had a bloody sack.

“Alright. Time to head back.” Ker carefully got to her feet.

“You gonna be alright to walk back?” Gorobets asked.

_They always underestimate you._ Ker’s father laughed.

“Pssh… I’m tougher then I look.” Ker smiled at the lieutenant as she shouldered her gear.

The walk back to McCarran took half an hour longer. Ker urged First Recon to go on ahead without them but they refused. She managed to walk halfway on her own but when she stumbled, Boone put her arm over his shoulders and held her around the waist to help her walk. She was aware of the worried glances she got from First Recon. It was early evening when they got back. Ker quickly said goodbye and headed to the same tent where she dropped her things and collapsed on the bed. She was almost asleep when Boone got to the tent.

“Get up.” He ordered.

Ker almost flinched at Boone’s words, hearing her father’s stern voice instead. “Why?” She whined after a moment.

“You need to be checked out by a doctor.”

Ker rolled over onto her back and stared at the ceiling. “That’ll mean taking off my shirt.” She stated flatly.

“I know.”

Ker thought carefully. “Alright.” She whispered and tried to get up. It took her two tries but she got up, grabbed her pack and followed Boone.

“What can I… is that your blood?” The doctor asked when they walked in.

“Yes.” Ker confirmed. She looked at the big open tent doors and the other patients in the infirmary. Ker swallowed hard. “I know this is the army, doc, but could we do this privately?”

“Modest?” He asked with a laugh.

“Not quite.” Ker responded.

The doctor raised an eyebrow. “You’re a civilian, I suppose we can. This way.” Ker followed the doctor, noticing when Boone stayed behind in the infirmary. The doctor led her to a nearby empty tent. Inside he lit a lamp and dropped the tent door. Ker gingerly took off her shirt and let the doctor examine the wound.

“Oh. I see.” Was the doctor’s only response when he saw her back. He proceeded to clean and properly close both the entry and exit wounds. Then he applied another Stimpak. “That should do it.” He said and helped her to her feet.

“Thank you, doctor.” She removed a clean shirt from her pack and paid the doctor for his supplies. She then put on the shirt and followed the doctor back to the infirmary.

“Everything alright?” Boone asked.

“Your friend is showing the symptoms of significant blood loss. Were she not standing and speaking to me, I would be concerned for her welfare. As it stands, she may **look** well but he body **is** struggling and she needs rest and fluids to replace the lost blood. As to the injury itself, there appears to be only minimal internal bleeding and the Stimpak I applied should deal with that. Were she a soldier I would order three days for R & R. Since she isn’t, I **highly** suggest taking at least **one** day before taxing her body again.”

“Understood, doctor.” Boone said, glaring at Ker.

“See? I’m fine.” Ker shrugged.

“That’s **not** what he said.” Boone said angrily.

Ker followed Boone back to their tent. She laid down carefully. “We need to get that head to Major Dhatri.” Ker said when she was comfortable.

“I’ll deal with it.” Boone said. “Get some rest.” Ker made a sleepy noise of acknowledgement. Boone took the sack and headed to find the major.

“Boone.” Major Dhatri greeted when Boone arrived at the tent. “Gorobets told me everything. How’s your friend?”

“Doc’s worried about the amount of blood she lost but thinks she’ll be fine, sir.” Boone answered as he dropped the bloody sack between them.

“That’s a relief. This is it then?” Dhatri asked as he inspected the bag. “Yep, this is him alright.” He said as he stood back up and kicked the bag aside. “Here’s the reward.” Dhatri handed Boone a stack of NCR bills. “It bothers me though, that not only did Nephi know you were coming, he **knew** First Recon was with you.” The major said thoughtfully. “Be **careful** if you go after another bounty. I think there may be more going on here than we realize.”

Boone nodded and left the tent. He headed back to where he’d left Ker. He found her asleep as he’d expected. He sat on the other bed. When he’d seen her bloody shirt through his scope he’d thought is wasn’t her blood. When she didn’t get up after she gave him a clear shot at Nephi, he got worried. When she hadn’t gotten up when the firing stopped he’d thought it was over.  

She cared about what happened to him. Cared enough to help in Novac even though he could tell she was uncomfortable around him. She even invited him to be her partner. He hadn’t known what that meant at the time. He hadn’t known how badly her trust had been broken before. Knowing what he knew now, he was surprised she’d slept at all with him nearby after Nelson. He knew how shaky her trust was. But now she trusted him with the fate of the Mojave decision. Then she charged in to deal with Nephi with only **him** and **his** friends watching her back, even though she’d been burnt before.

He sighed as he thought. No one in Novac had cared enough to try and help him. Not even Manny. They all avoided his gaze and didn’t question when he’d started drinking his days away. Ker had not only **cared** but she **knew** , at least in some way, how he felt. She’d seen him for what he was and still stuck by him, even offering to help him. In that moment he’d decided to hang around this nightmare a little longer. Things were starting to get interesting. With her by his side he’d already killed dozens of legionaries. He could only assume that number would increase.

When he’d seen her lying in the bloody sand he realized he’d made a terrible mistake. He’d started to care about her. He’d gotten her involved in his grim fate. This was his fault. If she had died… He shook his head and lay back on the bed.


	8. Switch

# Chapter 8: Switch

 

Ker woke from bad dream in an empty tent. The dream left her in a foul mood. She sat up in bed noticing her side only hurt a little and she wasn’t lightheaded, all good signs. It didn’t improve her mood though. She looked around the tent and noticed Boone’s pack was beside hers. A loud thump followed by a cheer from nearby got her attention and she grabbed her gear and headed out of the tent.

Not far from the tent there was a huge crowd of soldiers gathered around something. Ker didn’t like crowds but she was still intrigued. She made her way over and pushed her way to the front.

“The rules are simple my friends!” Shouted a charismatic soldier. “All you have to do is get young Ranger Lucas to tap out and you win the pot.” He held up a trooper helmet full of weird pieces of paper.

Ker watched as a burly soldier stepped forward and added his money to the helmet. The burly man stepped up to Lucas and the ranger smiled. The ranger reached out a hand which the burly man took and immediately tried to put the ranger in an elbow lock. The ranger slipped the lock easily and reversed it, locking out the burly soldier’s shoulder and making him tap out in seconds. Ker’s eyes went wide. She watched as the burly soldier walked out of the ‘ring’ while rubbing his shoulder.

_That looks like fun!_ Sable said happily.

“Too bad, so sad, Gilbert! Another win for Lucas!” Ker watched the charismatic solider work the crowd and urge on his audience. Then she watched another soldier try and lose just as fast. She’d seen all she needed to see. She pushed her way through the crowd to stand near the charismatic soldier.

“Who will be next to try their hand at victory! Just imagine your next trip to the Strip with this windfall!”

“Any rule you gotta be a soldier?” Ker asked looking up at the much taller man.

_If you must participate in this… spectacle, win._ Ker’s father demanded.

“Why no, there is not, little lady! If you want to put your cash or caps on the line, you are welcome to try!” The announcer said with a laugh.

Ker pulled a handful of caps out of her pocket and dropped them in the soldier’s helmet bowl. She walked into the ring. She could hear several of the soldiers laugh when she stood before the much taller and heavier ranger.

“Ranger, huh?” She asked. “How long?”

“Just over a year, miss.” The ranger replied.

Ker’s father snorted. _He doesn’t have anywhere near your experience._

“Oh, ok. I’ll go easy on ya.” She shrugged. The ranger laughed and stuck out his hand. Ker took it. When the ranger went to lock out her elbow, she went with it and slipped the lock and twisted away. “Is that all you got?” Ker taunted as she pulled him towards her and mimicked his last move. The ranger slipped the lock with ease and they were back to square one.

“Well now! **This** is interesting!” The ranger laughed. They shifted their handshake to a wrist shake. The ranger tried for a different lock, one Ker knew well. She used the momentum he provided to force her way out of the lock and ended up behind the ranger. She poked him in the kidney with one finger.

“Dead.” She said grimly. The ranger twisted and grabbed the hand she’d poked him with and tried forcing her to the ground. He was stronger and she had little hope of fighting him. She rolled with the momentum and pulled him down with her. On the ground she was at a disadvantage, she decided to win now. When they were both on the ground, the ranger tried to roll on top of her to straddle her. Ker knocked his knee out from under him as he rolled and looked for her target. She snaked around and grabbed his arm as he hit the dirt. A quick twist and the ranger’s arm was locked out as he lay face down in the dirt.

“I actually have to make you tap out, right?” She asked to be sure, and then applied increasing pressure to the joint. The ranger writhed and struggled as Ker clung to his arm. She was getting worried he’d just let her break his arm when he finally tapped out. Ker released the pressure and rolled over to get to her feet, wincing slightly. She noticed as she stood the crowd was silent. Even the charismatic announcer was staring silently. She then reached out a hand to help Lucas up. He took it hesitantly. The eerie quiet was starting to bother Ker and when the ranger was on his feet she realized she’d made herself the center of attention, again. She should have stayed in bed.

“And there you have it folks!” The charismatic soldier finally found his tongue. The crowd slowly began cheering. When the cheering died down and the soldiers had started to wander off, Ker grabbed Lucas to stop him from leaving.

“You rely too much on overpowering your foe.” She said sternly when he turned to face her. “There will **always** be someone bigger and stronger out there.” Ker smirked. “Especially if you’re me. Learn to use your enemy’s strength and momentum against them. Find the biggest guy in camp and spar with him.”

“Who exactly **are** you, miss?” Lucas asked in slight awe. “You a ranger?” He said looking her over.

_You’re more a ranger then he is._ Her father laughed.

“No, just someone with far too much experience.” Ker watched as the charismatic soldier walked toward them.

“You ruined my **perfectly** good hustle.” He lamented.

Ker shrugged. “Sorry. How about we split the pot? You two did do most of the work.”

“Nah, it wouldn’t be right.” The trooper said handing over the helmet.

“What the hell are you doing?” Came a deadpan voice from behind her.

“Uh oh.” She whispered. “Umm… winning?” She tried as she turned around to see Boone glaring at her. “Needed money for more medical supplies if we’re going after Violet today.” Ker said cheerily.

“Wait, Violet? The **Fiend** Violet?” The charismatic soldier asked.

“Yeah.”

“Holy shit! That explains it! You’re the courier! You killed Driver Nephi yesterday!” The soldier said with wide eyes.

“I think Boone actually killed him.” Ker said thinking. “I only stabbed him. Twice.”

Lucas laughed. “Something tells me those Fiends don’t stand a chance.”

Ker nodded and shook the offered hands before walking over to Boone. “Violet today?” She asked as she eyed the weird NCR money.

Boone sighed. “Not gonna talk you out of it, am I?”

“I wanna try my new rifle!” Ker said excitedly.

Geared up and resupplied they headed out to coordinates Major Dhatri had provided. They spent most of the morning heading passed the location, toward the hills. Then they turned south and found a nice little vantage point in the hills. They set up and Ker looked down her scope. She saw the trailers set up in a rough circle and the dogs roaming about aimlessly. But that wasn’t what she was focused on. Her focus kept wondering to the man lying on the ridge beside her. Her partner. Someone she was supposed to trust with her life. Ker started breathing heavily and her hands started to shake. She closed her eyes.

_We’ve been spotted. We should retreat._

_Can’t. Got Legion coming in from the left and right too._

_Then we scale the cliff behind us._

_We shoot._

Ker’s eyes flew open. She clutched the rifle tightly enough to turn her knuckles white. “Wait.” She said quietly, trying to settle down. As she breathed heavily she saw Boone glance over at her, but he said nothing.

_Boone is not your father._ Sable assured.

“You’re **not** him.” Ker reassured herself quietly. She took a deep breath and looked down the rifle sight. “Ready?” She said calmly.

“Ready.” Boone replied. Both took a breath and started shooting. Clearing the dogs was easy and Violet appeared quickly after the first shot. The shooting stopped after a matter of minutes. Soon they were walking, side by side toward the trailers.

“You alright?” Boone said as they walked.

Ker looked over at him. “Probably not. I don’t think I ever have been or ever will be ‘alright’. But I’m still trying. That’s all that **really** matters, right?”

“I guess you’re right.”

Ker retrieved Violet’s head and the pair headed back to McCarran without incident.

“Boone! Tell me that’s another one of the bounties!” Major Dhatri greeted as Boone and Ker walked into his tent. Ker dropped the sack and kicked it toward the major. The major examined the head quickly and handed over a stack of NCR bills. “Now I know you still got one bounty to go, but I was hoping you could lend a hand with something first.”

“Might be able to, sir. What is it?” Boone replied quickly.

“Don’t know if you heard, but last week we caught ourselves a centurion, **alive**.”

The look of surprise on Boone’s face was obvious. He was about to reply when Ker started laughing. It was a sadistic laugh containing not a hint of humor. “That is just…” She couldn’t stop the laughter.

_A captured centurion? Surprising. Perhaps, entertaining?_ Her father laughed the same sadistic laugh.

“Something funny, miss?” The major asked as he and Boone turned to face her.

Ker managed to quiet the laughter. “Oh, **so** many things. But you’re being serious.” Ker cleared her throat loudly. “You’ll get nothing out of him. How much time have you wasted trying so far?”

“You are right about that. Lieutenant Boyd’s been working on it all week with no results. A few mercs, however, may be able to get results where she can’t.”

“Understood, sir. We’ll look into it.” Boone and Ker left the tent and headed for the main building. They found Lieutenant Boyd with no problems and she explained the situation.

“Nothing you can do will get him to talk.” Ker said as she leaned against the wall and crossed her arms. “And as much as I would enjoy roughing him up, I’m sure he’s had worse than whatever I could do.” Ker considered carefully.

“Do you have a better idea?” Boyd asked roughly.

A small smile slowly spread across Ker’s lips. “Actually, I might. That’s one way glass, right?”

“Yes.” Boyd said hesitantly, not seeing where Ker was going with this.

“Alright. Do **not** come in. No matter what I say. No matter what I do. I promise I won’t kill him.” Ker said.

“What exactly do you have in mind?” Boyd asked.

_This will be fun._ Ker’s father said menacingly.

“A little subterfuge.” Ker smile wickedly.

“Alright, but leave your weapons out here.”

Ker hesitated. “Fine.”

Boyd went in and gave an introductory speech for Ker.

“You up for this?” Boone asked when they were alone.

“Can’t let you go in there, you’ll kill him.” Ker said with a sad smile as she laid out her weapons on the table.

“Probably.”

Boyd came out then. “Go on in. He's all yours.”

“Goddammit. I suck at lying.” Ker whispered. She then nodded and walked into the cell.

“What an ugly little worm you are. What pile of excrement did the lieutenant pluck you from, worm?” The verbal assault started the moment she entered. Ker made an obvious display of checking over her shoulder. Then focused on the centurion sternly.

“Ave, imbellis.” Ker seethed quietly, with an accented voice. “The eyes of the mighty Caesar are upon you. Any last words before you die, as you should have on the battlefield?”

“You?” Silus answered with a hint of surprise. “You're nothing. You're some inept mercenary the NCR is paying to supplement its own incompetent soldiers.”

“Legum servi sumus.” Ker replied harshly. “We are both slaves to Caesar’s law. And **you** are in **violation**.” She spat the last word at him.

“What?” Ker knew by the look in his eye she had him. “No! Listen, Caesar's secrets are safe with me. I stayed alive because Caesar would've wanted it. I'm useless to him dead.”

“You're a danger to him alive. Your knowledge threatens him.”

“I've told them nothing. They've gotten nowhere. I'm a centurion, for Mars’s sake. I deserve his trust.”

“Caesar's laws are absolute. He does not grant exceptions.”

“You have to let this go. I'll disappear. No one will ever see me again. That was always the plan in the first place.”

“So in addition to treason, you're also a deserter.”

“No! That's not what I meant! I-“ Silus was panicking now. “Lieutenant! This woman is trying to kill me! She's not who you think she is!” He shouted. With a flick of her wrist Ker had a switchblade in her hand. She pulled Silus out of the chair he was sitting in and shoved him up against the wall. “You don’t have to do this!”

“You shouldn’t have **done** that.” Ker seethed. “Did you honestly believe you could escape death?”

Outside the room, Lieutenant Boyd moved to step in when she saw the weapon. Boone stepped in front of her.

“She gave her word she wouldn’t kill him.” He said flatly, stopping Boyd cold.

Inside the cell, Silus tried to placate Ker. “If I had killed myself then I would've been murdering one of Caesar's greatest soldiers.” Ker stepped back and lowered her switchblade. “Either choice is a betrayal of the Legion, as I see it. I've done everything Caesar ever asked of me, and this is how I am repaid? With assassination? I ambushed countless NCR patrols and wiped them out so that our operatives could move freely. I waited for him to dispatch us for three days; never questioning why the "headaches" he complained of would hinder his ability to command. I haven't breathed a word about the officer we planted here - he continues to radio intelligence to Caesar's camp nearly every night. I've proven my loyalty. All you're doing is killing a loyal soldier. If that's Caesar's policy, then I say his empire will crumble.”

Ker sighed. “Foot soldiers of the Legion are trained to not have to think for themselves - to have conflict removed from their minds. You’re nothing more than a foot soldier, Silus. If his empire falls it’ll be because his centurions are so gullible.” Ker smirked in satisfaction.

“What? What do you mean?” The centurion looked surprised.

“You’ve been tricked, Silus. I’m working for the NCR. I just got you to talk.” Ker didn’t turn her back on the centurion as she slowly made her way to the door. “Contritium praecedit superbia.” She smirked.

“You bitch!” He yelled in frustration. As Ker went through the door, Silus began screaming obscenities at her.

_That was all worth it._ Her father laughed.

“Whooooo weeeeee. That was entertaining!” Ker said with a sick smile. Both Boone and Boyd were staring at her intently. Ker was confused by the stares. “That **is** what you wanted right?”

“You’re damn right it is! I can’t believe that **worked**.” Boyd said incredulously.

_Of course it worked. I taught you well. Time to root out the frumentarius._

“You have a traitor in your midst.” Ker said pensively.

“Apparently so.” Boyd said sternly.

“You need help with that?” Ker grinned wildly. “Rooting out a frumentarius in **this** deep will be satisfying. So anything suspicious going on around camp?”

“Now what kind of MP would I be if I didn't notice anything suspicious? I've had soldiers go AWOL, break-ins, thefts, you name it.”

“Break ins?” Ker said perking up.

“Maybe break-in isn't the right word. We didn't find signs of forced entry. But I've had reports of someone sneaking into the control tower at night. It's probably just a meeting spot for a steamy military base love affair. But it bothers me that they didn't break in. It means they have an access code. Most soldiers around the base don't have that.”

“Would you be willing to give us the control tower access key so we can check it out?” Ker asked.

“Sure, if you want to investigate. It's not like there's anything to steal up there. Just a bunch of old communications equipment. If you can find out any more, I'd be interested to hear it. There's something about this I really don't like, and if I weren't tied up here I'd be staking it out personally.”

“We’ll stake it out tonight.”

“Alright but tell Colonel Hsu what’s going on before you do.” Boyd declared. Ker and Boone headed to the Colonel Hsu’s office where they got the go ahead for their little operation.

A few hours later, it was Boone’s turn to watch the door so Ker was lounging behind a box fiddling with her Pip-Boy.

“If this guy shows up.” Ker started. “Are you hoping to kill or capture him?”

“I want him dead. The NCR probably wants him alive.” Boone admitted.

_You want him dead too, daughter._

“Alright, then let me lead the charge. That tower isn’t very big, aiming your rifle in there will be tricky. I’ll try and subdue him, but I make no promises.” Ker replied.

It was almost time for Ker to take up watch again when Boone spoke. “There.” Ker picked up her rifle and aimed it at the man walking toward the tower.

“Officer, eh?” Ker whispered. “That’d explain why he didn’t need a key, he already has one.” Ker watched as the officer entered the tower. “Let’s go.” Together they sprinted to the tower. Ker keyed the terminal and they went in.

“Lupa, this is Frumentarius Picus, over.” Ker could barely hear the officer speak over her own headbeat. “Afternoon patrol enters Fiend territory at 1300. Have them mine that stretch. Over.”

“Roger. What’s the status on your primary mission?”

“Charges are set. Detonation will occur as the train leaves the station. Over.”

“How long?”

“Couple of minutes. Over.” A couple of minutes were all they had. Ker charged up the stairs. “What are you doing-“ Ker punched the spy in the face to silence him then snaked around behind him to lock him in a full nelson. “What the hell are-“

“Shut up, **Picus**!” Ker growled. “Check him for weapons!” Boone quickly frisked the officer and took his 9mm and the note in his pocket.

“Deactivation instructions!” Boone said quickly.

“You know where this train is Boone?!”

“Yeah.”

“Then **go**!” Ker shouted. Boone nodded to Ker and took off down the stairs.

_Alone with the frumentarius. Kill him._ Her father urged. Ker was tempted. Boone would prefer it that way, but alive the frumentarius was more useful.

“This will never stick. A courier and a washed up soldier against a military captain?” The officer laughed. “I’ll be walking free by dawn.”

_He could be right. Kill him._ Ker was starting to agree with her father.

“You’re right.” Ker said as she fought to hold onto the struggling captain. “My words are worth nothing to the NCR but yours will be as good as gold.”

“I won’t talk and nothing the NCR can do could make me.”

“God, you **still** don’t get it? You’re digging a deeper grave with every word, Picus.”

“What are you talking about, bitch?”

“This here Pip-boy’s got all kinds of useful functions; including the ability to **record**.”

“What?!” Picus roared and used his greater strength to wrench himself free from Ker’s grapple. “I’ll kill you!”

“I’d like to see you try!” Ker slipped by the first strike and down the stairs. “Come get me, Picus!”

Picus followed her down the stairs and out onto one of the empty runways. “I’ll kill you!” Picus seethed when they stood in the cool night air. “And I’ll pin the bomb on you! The idiot soldier just had a crisis of conscience and couldn’t go through with it!” He lunged at Ker. They fought hand to hand, each getting a blow in here or there but no real progress was made. Ker was rubbing her jaw after taking a hit when she heard the sound of boots on asphalt. Boone sure took his time.

“Captain! What’s going on?” Yelled the first soldier on the scene.

“She’s working with the Legion! She’s trying to blow up the Monorail!” The soldier drew his weapon as a crowd of soldiers arrived.

“Not very convincing, Picus.” Ker taunted.

“Restrain her! And send soldiers to the monorail to detain her First Recon partner!” Curtis ordered. A couple of MPs stepped out of the crowd and approached Ker menacingly.

“Lay a hand on me and I’ll break it.” Ker seethed as she backed away from the approaching MPs.

“Come quietly, miss.” The MPs drew their pistols.

“Want to actually do your jobs? Then keep an eye on the captain until someone of higher rank makes the call. I have proof he’s the spy.”

“This is your last warning, miss.” The lead MP declared.

“Be careful. She’s highly trained in hand to hand combat.” The captain warned. “It will likely be difficult to take her alive.

“You’ve got that right.” Ker growled.

“Davidson, Peters, Crooks, we’re going in.” The lead MP said as he holstered his weapon and withdrew a pair of handcuffs.

“Don’t make me do this. I **will** defend myself.” Ker growled as the MPs circled her.

_You can beat them._ Her father urged.

“Everyone stand down!” Ker heard a familiar voice over the crowd. The crowd went silent and parted to show Colonel Hsu, Lieutenant Boyd and Boone.

“Colonel! Is the monorail safe?” The captain asked quickly.

“It is. Sergeant Boone was able to disarm the bomb and a few MPs are working to dispose of it now.”

“We’re lucky the sergeant realized his true loyalties before he went through with their plan.” The captain said with what sounded like relief.

“The show is entertaining and all but would anyone like to hear the actual **proof**?” Ker said, still on guard against the four MPs.

“Proof?” The colonel said with surprise as he looked over at Ker.

“Call off your soldiers and I’ll play it for you.”

“Kilpatrick, give the courier some space please?” The lead MP nodded and all four headed back into the crowd. Six fiddled with her Pip-boy once they were a safe distance away.

“Colonel, this is unnecessary. I-“

“I would like to hear what the courier has, captain.” Hsu said sternly.

Ker finally found the right tab. She hit play. “There.” Boone’s scratchy voice came out the small but powerful speaker on her Pip-boy. “Officer, eh?” Ker’s voice followed. “That’d explain why he didn’t need a key, he already has one.” A pause. “Let’s go.” There was the sound of running followed by a very quiet door opening and closing. “Lupa, this is Frumentarius Picus, over.” The unmistakable voice of the captain played for all to hear. “Afternoon patrol enters Fiend territory at 1300. Have them mine that stretch. Over.”

_Frumentarius has lost. Watch for his move._ Ker’s father urged.

Ker saw the captain go for the nearest soldier’s weapon first because she was expecting it. She covered the distance between them in the time it took the crowd to gasp and grabbed the 9mm in the captain’s hand. She fought with him as he tried to aim the gun at either her **or** himself. Boone broke in between them and disarmed the captain.

“You think this is a victory but for every Legion spy you find there are two more that you do not. By this time next month the streets of New Vegas will be decorated with the decaying heads of NCR soldiers. There is nothing you can do to stop that!” The captain ranted.

“Kilpatrick?” Hsu prompted.

“Yes, sir.” The MP and his subordinates walked toward the captain.

“Oh, do be careful. He’s highly trained in hand to hand combat.” Ker added sarcastically. “It will likely be difficult to take him alive.” Ker then waved to the captain. “Bye Picus!” Ker walked toward the colonel. “Nothing like a good hand to hand fight with a legionary to get the blood pumping.”

“Taking Captain Curtis alive will be useful. You two have my thanks. Not only did you save the monorail, you found a deep cover spy who’s been in our midst for years.” The colonel sighed. “I still find it hard to believe it was Curtis. Anyways, come with me to my office, I’d like to hear the rest of that recording.”

Ker and Boone followed the colonel to his office where he listened to the whole recording. Ker’s recording ended when the first soldier showed up. Captain Curtis said several damning things in the interim. Colonel Hsu provided them with a reward for finding the spy.

_They owe you much more than this._ Her father said briskly.

“As much as the money is useful, there is something I would prefer to it.” Ker began before accepting the NCR bills.

“Oh?”

“We have accommodations on the Strip. It would make my life much easier if my companions and I could use the monorail.”

“I see no harm in that, seeing as it’s only still functional thanks to you two.” Colonel Hsu scribbled out a note and added it to the pile of NCR bills.

“Thank you.” Ker said and took the offered items.

Once the debriefing was done, Ker and Boone headed back to their tent.

“You alright?” Boone asked as they walked.

“I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?” Ker asked surprised.

“I left you alone with a legionary in that tower.”

“He clocked me a good one across the jaw.” Ker said rubbing at the side of her chin. “Luckily, I was ready for it. I’m just grateful you showed up when you did.”

“Why’s that?”

“The MPs were going to arrest me. I’ve been trained my whole life to fight back. I don’t think I would have gone quietly.”

“Good idea, taking that recording.” Boone commented.

“This thing sure is proving its usefulness.” Ker said tapping her Pip-boy with one finger.


	9. Conditioned

# Chapter 9: Conditioned

 

Ker didn’t sleep well, again; the idea that any NCR trooper could be a Legion spy unnerved her. But come morning, she gathered up her gear and she and Boone headed out to find their last bounty.

“Sable!”

Ker froze at the word. Boone took another step before he noticed his partner had stopped.

“Something-“ Boone stopped abruptly, seeing sheer terror on his partner’s face.

“Sable Cross!” Any hope Ker was holding that she had simply misheard was dashed at the second shout. Ker swallowed hard and turned around.

“My god! It **is** you!” The ranger panted as he reached Ker and stood before her.

Ker examined the ranger before her. He was old, weathered and worn but rugged looking. She didn’t recognize him immediately but he **knew** her. She thought harder. Something about his eyes…

“… Izzy?” Ker asked hesitantly.

“So you **do** remember! My god. It’s been years! I haven’t seen you since…”  Izzy trailed off.

“Since the Unification Treaty meeting.” Ker provided.

“Has it really been **ten** years?” He said with a laugh. “It must have been! Look at you! You’re a beautiful young woman now! Finally grew out of the awkward teenage phase, huh?” Izzy laughed harder. “Can’t argue with your choice in men though. First Recon is top notch. Hell, they’d even give Carter a run for his money.”

“It’s not like that. We’re just partners.” Ker explained lamely.

“Oh. Either way, you’re in good company.”

Ker realized social convention indicated she should now introduce her two acquaintances. “Izzy this is Sergeant Boone. Boone, Ranger Islington.”

Izzy stuck out hand and Boone shook it. “Any friend of Sable’s is a friend of mine. I’ve been wondering for a long time. Whatever happened to Carter? When he quit the Rangers at that unification meeting no one was quite sure what he’d do with himself.”

“He kept doing his job.” Ker said sadly.

“What?! He **kept** hunting the Legion? Just the two of you? With no support? That’s beyond reckless; that’s goddamned stupid.

“No argument here.” Ker agreed completely.

“If you’re not with him, does that mean…?”

“He was alive the last time I saw him; five years ago south of Hackberry.”

“Hackberry? In Colorado?!”

“Yeah.”

“Damn.” Izzy shook his head. “If you didn’t see him die my money is on the stubborn bastard still being alive."

“Mine too.”

“So why are you two in camp? Can’t see you wanting to join up with the NCR; not if Carter’s opinions rubbed off on you.”

“Killing Fiends and finding spies.” Ker said concisely.

“Spies? The captain last night? Ahh… that would make you this courier everyone is talking about.” Izzy paused obviously wanting to say something, but not quite sure how. Then the ranger shook his head. “I’ll never forgive myself for letting that bastard take you from Kingman after your mother went missing.”

 “What?” Ker suddenly went pale.

“I should have stopped him. He had no right to-“

“Not that. What did you say about my mother?” Ker asked sternly.

“Your mother? She went missing. Just up and vanished one day. We had to call Carter in from the field to decide what to do with you.”

“I see.” Ker said quietly.

“Listen, I’ve got some time now, maybe you want to sit down and chat a bit?” Izzy said hopefully.

“No. Boone and I are heading out to kill the last fiend bounty.”

“Maybe later then?” The ranger tried again.

“Maybe after we get back. Let me think about it.”

“Alright. Take care out there.” Izzy said sadly.

“Bye, Izzy.” Ker turned and walked away.

Boone was right there by her side. “Sable Cross?” He asked.

“No.” Ker said sternly. “Sable Cross died on a cross five years ago outside Hackberry.”

Boone looked over at Ker. She didn’t meet his eye. “Alright.”

 _Damn Islington! Always did stick his nose where it didn’t belong._ Ker’s father hissed.

 _Shut up._ Ker shot back.

_You should avoid further contact with Islington. You should avoid further contact with rangers in general._

_Shut up, father!_

_What has you so worked up, daughter?_

_You lied to me! You told me my mother died!_

_I only did it to protect you. Knowing your mother abandoned you would have devastated you. Don’t bother trying to deny it._

“Ker!”

“What?” Ker focused on the voice of her partner, not the voice of her father. She realized she had lost all track of herself. She was outside Camp McCarran, standing against the high concrete wall. Boone stood in front of her, staring at her intensely. “Sorry, distracted.” She finally answered.

“By what the ranger said?” Boone asked.

“Yes.”

“Your father sounds like a bastard.”

“A bastard?” Ker contemplated. She’d never really considered her father as anything other than her father. “Why?” She asked honestly.

“What do you mean why?” Boone asked surprised.

“Why does he sound like a bastard?”

“ **You** don’t think he is one?”

“Isn’t that just how fathers are?” Ker asked innocently.

“No. It’s not.” Boone said harshly.

“Oh…” Ker said, genuinely surprised. “What are fathers supposed to be like then?”

“You really don’t know?” Boone asked a bit skeptically.

“No.” Ker thought hard for a second. “I’ve seen how Legion fathers raise their sons. It’s not much different from how my father raised me.”

Boone was silent for a moment. “You’re serious.” He said flatly.

“I don’t understand, Boone.” Ker sighed. “What are fathers-“ Ker stopped herself abruptly. “I’m sorry, Boone. I didn’t think. I’ll ask someone else.” Ker hung her head sadly.

“No.” Boone replied quickly. “Fathers are supposed to teach you and protect you. They should be your friend and role model. They should love and care about you. They should want what’s best for you and for you to be happy.” Ker looked intently at Boone.  “Your father sounds like a bastard because, not only did he abandon you to the Legion, he intentionally put you in harm’s way as a **child**. Sounds like he did everything for his own gain. Did nothing but **use** you.” Ker leaned back against the concrete wall and sank down to the ground.

_This conversation is a waste of time. I taught you and protected you. I was your role model and I wanted what was best for you._

_You never loved us. Mother did. But you didn’t._ Sable whispered.

_Love is inconsequential. I taught you what you needed to survive in this harsh and unforgiving wasteland._

_But not what we needed to live! All Ker does is survive! Fight after fight, trial after trial. Risking her life to complete your goals!_ Sable shouted.

_They are our goals._

_Because we never had a choice!_

_Shut up, both of you._ Ker tried to cut in.

 _Ker could be so much more! But you keep her bound to this life!_ Sable accused.

_I keep her on the right path._

“Father used me.” Ker said quietly to herself as she tried desperately to ignore the conflicting voices in her head. “Everything is a tool; to be used and discarded as necessary. A favourite saying of my father’s. I never considered **I** was just a tool.” Ker looked down at the dirt sadly. “It does explain a few things.” Ker paused. “I’m just a tool.” She said succinctly, and then shook her head. “I’m not even that. A tool can be used in a variety of different ways. I can only destroy. I’m just a **weapon**.” Realization finally dawned on Ker. “I finally understand why things have been so hard lately. This isn’t me.” Ker pushed herself back to standing against the concrete wall. “I’ve been fighting what I am this whole time. I will never be able to help the Mojave; I will never be able to **help** **you**. I can only do **one** thing.” Ker reached into her pocket and pulled out the platinum chip. She held it out to Boone.

“What are you doing?” He asked in confusion.

“Take the chip back to House. Tell him I’m dead or something. I’m going east.”

 _You finally figured it out._ Ker could hear the smile on her father’s face.

“East?! Why?!”

“I’m a loose cannon. Ever since I got shot in the head, the voice of my father has been telling me to kill pretty much everyone I meet, including you. I’ve tried to ignore him but he just gets louder. I don’t know how much longer I can keep ignoring him. If I go east I can finally get back to what I should be doing.”

“Killing legionaries?” Boone provided.

“Exactly. I’ll no longer be a threat to the Mojave and I’ll be doing something useful; what my father intended for me all along.”

“Your father really was a bastard.” Boone said, still not taking the offered chip.

“Maybe. But I’ll sacrifice my life to try and prevent what happened to you from ever happening again. My father may not have raised a good daughter, but he sure as hell raised a good soldier.”

Boone looked down at the offered chip. “I’m not letting you leave.”

Ker looked at Boone quizzically. “Why are you against this? Isn’t this **exactly** what you want?”

Boone shook his head. “Not like this.”

“It **has** to be like this. The longer I go without killing legionaries, the louder the voice in my head gets. I almost couldn’t stop myself from killing the frumentarius last night.”

“But you did.”

“ **This** time. What happens when the voice is too strong to ignore? What happens when I finally agree with my father that traveling with a partner is too much of a liability? You **can’t** trust me, Boone.”

“I already do.”

“All the more reason I should leave.” Ker said shaking her head. “Take the chip; if not for me, then for the NCR. You know they could use the help against the Legion.”

“No.”

“Alright, Boone.” Ker sighed. “I’ll stop by the Strip on my way out and drop it off at the Lucky 38.” She relented and placed the chip back in her pocket. “Thank you, Boone, for-.” Ker stopped abruptly and gave a genuine, soft smile. “Just thank you.” She turned to walk away.

“I’m not letting you leave.” Boone repeated as he stepped into Ker’s way.

“The voice of my father believes you’re only a moderate threat at close range. I don’t think you can stop me, even if you want to.” Ker said menacingly.

“This is **really** what you want? To take on your father’s personal crusade against the Legion? To let him keep controlling you, even **after** you got away?”

“He **does** still control me. And I never said this is what I want. I said this is what needs to be done.”

“Then ignore him and do what you **want** to do!” Boone shouted.

“I tried, Boone. I wanted to help you but nothing I did made a difference. Being back with First Recon did more than anything I could ever do. Maybe you didn’t notice it, but I did. They’re your friends. I think that’s what you need right now. Not me; not a weapon. Now, please stand aside.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“You risked your life to stop me when I was out of my mind.”

“I’m not out of my mind. Things are finally clear.”

“That’s why I’m worried.”

“What do you mean?” Ker asked, confused.

“That voice in your head; what’s it saying right now?”

_You know what you have to do. Kill the sniper and head east._

Ker frowned. “Kill the sniper and head east.”

“Didn’t let it control you before, why let it now?” Boone asked sternly.

“Because I don’t think I can keep fighting it.” Ker sighed.

“You kill legionaries like they’re radroaches but you can’t win against the **voice in your head**?”

Ker shook her head. “It’s not that simple.”

“Think it **is** that simple. Tell me, did you surrender to the Legion when your father abandoned you?”

“What?! Of **course** not!” Ker said indignantly as she locked eyes with Boone.

“Bet you fought tooth and nail.”

“You’re damn right I did!”

“So why surrender to your **father,** who sounds **worse** than the Legion?”

“Worse than the Legion?” Ker balked at Boone’s revelation.

“You said your father raised you the same way legionaries raise their sons. I’m assuming that includes all the violence and indoctrination that is normal with the Legion. Maybe even the torture. Are all those scars **just** from the Legion?”

Ker broke eye contact with Boone to look down at the scars on her wrists. Then she ran her fingers over a few of the scars on her arms. “No. They’re not.”

“So you’ll never be a slave to the Legion but you’ll always be a slave to your father?”

Ker looked up from the scars to meet Boone’s eye again. “I never thought of it like that.” Ker whispered. “Is that what you see?”

“Yes.”

“I trust you but…”

_Kill the sniper. You have a mission to fulfill._

“Why can’t I see it?” Ker implored.

“It's like what they do in the military. They train you to follow orders without thinking. Break you down till you're automatic. You were right when you said he trained one hell of a soldier. Sounds like he conditioned you to **need** to kill legionaries.”

_Kill the sniper and go east._

Ker leaned against the wall and slid down to a seated position. “I want to deny it. I want to say I’ve made my own choices all my life… but I can’t. I **feel** like I made my own choices but they **always** benefited my father. It’s terrifying to think you may be right; that I’m not in control of my own actions.”

_Our mission remains._

Ker shook her head briskly. “I wasn’t lying when I said I don’t know how much longer I can resist my father’s orders. The more you poke and prod at this, the louder he tells me to kill you.”

“Guess I’m onto something.” Boone said as he sat down beside Ker.

“You should leave. I can’t guarantee I won’t hurt you.”

“You won’t.” Boone said calmly.

“How can you be so sure?” Ker asked in surprise.

“Because we’re partners. I trust you with my life.”

“Still?” Ker looked over at Boone. He looked back, a look of confidence on his face. “Alright. Make me a promise then. If I lose it, you’ll kill me.”

“You won’t.”

“But if I do, I could kill a lot of innocent people. Promise me.” Ker pleaded.

“Alright, but I don’t think it will come to that.”

“Thank you, Boone.”

“Should tell Gannon about this. Might be able to help.”

“I should probably tell them all.” Ker sighed. They sat in silence in the shadow of the wall. Eventually an NCR patrol walked by, eyeing them suspiciously. “Alright.” Ker said standing up and stretching. “Let’s go kill us a few Fiends.” Boone stood up as well and they headed off toward the coordinates they’d been given.

“I’m only a moderate threat?” Boone asked after a few minutes.

Ker smiled a genuine smile. “Only at close range. You’re an extreme threat at any other range.”

Cook-Cook was easy to find. At the exact coordinates they were provided, Ker and Boone found a house. They found a bit of cover nearby and staked out the house. After an hour of waiting no one had gone in or out.

_Assessing situation._

_Shut up, Father._

“We may need to make the first move.” Ker said quietly. “Oh! I’ve got an idea! What say we fight fire with fire?” Ker sat up from her sniper position and started digging through her pack. She pulled out two small bottles of alcohol and one big one. Then she pulled out a shirt and cut it to shreds with her knife. Finally she pulled the caps off the liquor bottles and stuffed the scraps of fabric into the neck of the bottles.

“Molotovs? Nice.” Boone commented from where he was still on watch.

“I’ll go up and toss these in through the windows.” Ker grinned as she put her pack and rifle aside. She gathered the bottles in her hands and carefully crept toward the building. Ker made it to the building unnoticed. Carefully, she looked in the window. Inside were over a dozen Fiends sleeping all over the room and in a pile in the middle. Ker quickly put down the bottle and flashed ten fingers twice to her partner. Ker took a breath as she pulled Benny’s lighter from her pocket. She then smashed the window with the butt of her knife and tossed the large lit Molotov cocktail inside. As fast as she could, Ker ran to the next window and did the same, all while accompanied by the sound of screaming Fiends. After she threw the second one through the second window the Fiends, some on fire some not, started pouring out of the house. Boone killed the first one outside but the rest just trampled his body. The Fiends stayed bunched up so, to free her hands, Ker lit and threw the last Molotov at the middle of the group. The few Fiends who were not on fire were totally disorientated. Ker drew a pistol to accompany her knife and joined Boone in killing Fiends. She worked her way over to the door, putting the burning Fiends out of their misery. When Ker approached the door, a metal armoured hand reached out and grabbed her by the collar. Then, with one strong heave, it pulled Ker into the burning house.

“It’s time for a barbeque!” Cook-Cook yelled sadistically with an insane laugh.

Ker didn’t waste time with a witty retort and looked for a shot. There was no shot. Cook-cook was covered head to toe in metal armour that her 9mm wouldn’t penetrate. Dodging a bloody machete Ker holstered her pistol and focused on her knife. The metal armour may seem all covering but it had its weaknesses, just like centurion armour. She’d go for the joints. The house was burning around her as Ker tried to get close enough to kill Cook-cook. But Cook-cook was wild and erratic. He was very hard to predict and there was massive force behind his strikes. Ker dodged and parried the strikes. Time was running out. Ker could hear the burning building straining under the weight of the roof and the smoky air was starting to slow her down. Ker finally saw her chance and dove in past the machete to drive her knife up under Cook-cook’s arm. The tackle she included in the dive, meant to knock down her wounded opponent, propelled her into a brink wall of metal armour.

“Yer all mine now!” Cook-cook yelled as he wrapped his arms around Ker’s chest and lifted her off the ground. He then squeezed and Ker felt the air being forced out of her lungs. She couldn’t breathe due to the massive force around her chest. She still had her knife though and he’d left her hands free. She tried to angle her knife at the gap between helmet and armour. She was just about to strike when Cook-cook squeezed harder. Ker fought to focus as a section of roof collapsed in the room. Ker focused on the knife and brought it down beside the Fiend’s neck. Cook-cook roared and squeezed tighter. Ker knew her ribs couldn’t take much more and she couldn’t breathe at all now. With the last of her strength she twisted the knife and ripped out, doing as much damage as she could. The sickly spray of blood indicated she’d hit her target and the pressure on her ribs started to wane. Finally able to breathe, Ker gulped down air and braced her hands and feet against Cook-cook’s body and pushed. She broke out of Cook-cook’s grasp and fell onto the burning floor on her back gasping for breath. She tried to get up but gasping at the smoky air did little to provide her with the oxygen she needed. Ker felt someone grab her under her shoulders and start pulling her toward the door. A few seconds later she was outside lying among the Fiend corpses.

“Wait here!” Ker heard as she started coughing. A few seconds later she saw Boone come out of the house again dragging a large metal corpse. He left the corpse near the building and came back over to her. “You alright?” He asked.

“Bastard nearly broke my ribs.” Ker complained as she tried to breathe evenly. “But he’s dead now, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Good.” Ker pushed herself up to a seated position. As she did the burning house finally collapsed. With a groan, Ker got to her feet and helped Boone loot the bodies. They got a pretty good haul of drugs off the Fiends and gathered Cook-Cook’s head as proof of their kill.

Ker was knelt down, balancing the weight in her pack with Boone standing close by when it happened. She caught the slightest of movements out of the corner of her eye in the distance, opposite to the direction Boone was currently looking. The time it took for her to glance up and recognize the threat was the same amount of time it took for the veteran legionary to raise his rifle to his shoulder.

 _Legion!_ Her father screamed. _Take cover!_

“Legion!” She shouted and dove toward Boone. She knew the Legion only rarely trained their troops with firearms; this appeared to be one of those rare cases. The veteran and his party had gotten close; likely using the pot marked terrain and their distraction while looting to get in close. They were close enough that Ker could see the veteran’s stance was good and he was holding and aiming his rifle correctly. He was also close enough that any NCR grunt could make the shot. He had two targets to pick from; a petite, crouched woman or a well-built, standing man. Even if they’d been the same size, the Legion would **always** consider a man a greater threat than a woman. She knew he was aiming at Boone.

Boone only had a chance to glace over his shoulder before Ker crashed into his side, knocking him off balance. They both heard the gunshot an instant before they hit the ground. Boone rolled with the impact. While staying low to avoid the incoming bullets he managed to get his rifle off his shoulder and get into a prone firing position after the third shot. His first shot decapitated the veteran and sent the flag-bearing vexillarius, the decanus and the second veteran scrambling for cover. Boone managed a kill shot on the second veteran before the vexillarius and decanus found cover. Keeping his head down in case another legionary was armed, he thoroughly scanned the field. It was only then he noticed Ker hadn’t moved from where she landed after she’d knocked him down.

“Ker?” He called. She was only a few feet away from him but he didn’t want to take his eyes off the hiding places of the two legionaries.

“Fuck.” Was the only reply he got. It wasn’t shouted or even yelled in pain. It wasn’t angry or full of rage. It was said almost conversationally, with more frustration than anything.

“Are you hit?” He asked when she still hadn’t moved.

“Yes.” He saw slight movement in his peripheral vision as she rolled over onto her back. “How many?” She asked, the conversational tone slightly slipping when she spoke allowing him to hear the pain in her voice.

“Four. Two down.”

“Alright.” He saw her adjust her position and push herself to her hands and knees. Then he noticed it was actually one hand and knees. She was breathing hard as she got to her feet.

“What are you doing?” Boone asked.

“Where are they?” She countered as she drew a pistol in her right hand. Her other arm hung limply at her side.

“200 yards.” He knew what she was doing. She was going to flush out his targets. As it stood now, they were at a stalemate and judging by how the sleeve of her duster wetly clung to her arm, Ker would bleed out before either side moved. He heard her take a deep breath, then she started walking.

“Little legionary!” She called through gritted teeth. “What poor little mongrels, tasked with killing a sniper and you can’t even get into throwing range. And now, to add insult, you’re going to die at the hands of a **woman**.” Ker was approaching the location of the vexillarius. The vexillarius charged over his rock the moment she was close enough but so did the decanus. Boone didn’t have time to make a choice and took aim at the one closer to his crosshairs. The decanus was knocked off his feet by the impact of the bullet and fell in a heap. Boone didn’t bother watching and worked the bolt on his rifle as fast as he could. When he looked down the scope again, for a moment he couldn’t find his target. The vexillarius was on his knees and Boone couldn’t see Ker. He took the shot, completely destroying the stupid dog headdress. He didn’t waste any time and was on his feet in an instant.

“Ker!” He shouted as he started running.

“Alive.” He heard called back to him. This time the pain was easily noticeable in her voice. He found Ker lying sprawled out on her back beside the dead vexillarius. There was a significant amount of blood coating her left sleeve and a bone deep cut in her right forearm. The pistol that had been in her right hand was nowhere to be seen. “Gotta stop the bleeding.” She muttered when she saw him. “Bullet isn’t through.”

“Right.” He said and quickly started pulling their medical supplies out of his pack.

“I’ma try an stay conscious…” She slurred. “No promises.”

“Talk to me.” Boone said as he poured alcohol over her forearm and shoulder.

“Fuck!” She cried out as the alcohol did its job. She took a deep breath. “About what?”

“Anything.” He said as he applied a tourniquet above the deep cut in her forearm.

She was quiet for a bit. He was staring to worry she’d passed out. “I don’t like it here.”

The comment surprised Boone. “Here? The Mojave?” Boone asked as he pulled out supplies to stitch closed the gaping gash in her forearm. It looked like she’d used the outside of her forearm to stop the vexillarius’s machete. Thankfully she’d managed to use the outside of her arm and not the inside where all the vitals were. As he started to stitch the wound closed, he could see the nicked bone in the cut.

“No, the west. Things are hard here. Dealing with people is hard. I never know what to say.” She paused for a second. “Is it easier in the military? You have to follow orders, right?”

“Easier, maybe. Not better.” Boone said as memories of Bitter Springs threatened to distract him.

Ker lifted her head and tried to focus her blurry vision on the man above her. “You’re thinking about Bitter Springs.” She said before letting her head fall back into the sand.

Boone tried harder to ignore the thoughts creeping into his mind. “Yes.” He said simply as he tied off the stitches in Ker’s arm.

“Sorry.” Ker mumbled.

“I need to check that shoulder now so I need to roll you over.” Ker gave a slight nod and Boone proceeded to gently roll her onto her stomach. On the back of her left shoulder, the sand had clotted the wound. “I need to get the bullet out.”

“Without Med-x, I’ll probably pass out.” Ker said quietly.

“That’s fine.” Boone replied as he pulled off her duster and cut back her shirt. He pulled out the tools he had and got ready to take out the bullet. “Ready?” Ker just grunted and he began. She didn’t cry out. It took him a full minute to find the bullet; it was in deep. As he pulled the bullet out he felt Ker relax then go limp.

“Ker?” He asked as he got ready to stitch the wound. He got no response. He finished stitching and bandaged both wounds and applied a Stimpak to her shoulder. He pulled out his bedroll and moved her onto it. He didn’t think it was a good idea to move her too far. Instead he checked the Legion bodies for loot then dragged them over to the other Fiend bodies. He then built a fire near Ker and sat down to wait.

Ker woke to pain, as usual. She could feel the sun shining right in her eyes. She let out a sound of annoyance.

“Ker?”

Ker almost responded to what she thought was her father then hesitated, momentarily confused. “Think.” She whispered to herself. “Boone.” She replied when things cleared. She tried to sit up but he left shoulder was too stiff. “Was I out all night?” She asked judging it was about dawn.

“Yeah.”

This time she managed to sit up and glance around. Boone was leaning against a large rock nearby with a burned out fire between them. She checked the function of her right hand, which she found only a little stiff. She could barely move her left shoulder though. “What the **hell** was the Legion doing this far west?”

“I found this on the decanus.” Boone said as he passed over a slightly bloody piece of paper. On it, Ker saw two rather good sketches, one of her and one of Boone. Beside each sketch was very neat writing. Beside her sketch was the word courier along with a rough description of her, including hair colour, armaments and the fact she wore a duster. Beside Boone’s sketch was the word sniper, a rough description of him and the fact he was once in First Recon and thus wore the beret.

“This’s a fair bit of work.” Ker said as she admired the well-drawn sketch of herself. Then it clicked. “Assassins?!” She said, looking up toward Boone.

“Maybe. It’s not unheard of.”

“I guess we’ve offended someone.” Ker said as she handed back the paper to Boone.

“Bold move, coming this close to McCarran.”

“To get here from the river…” Ker did the math. “Maybe Picus ratted us out.”

“Maybe.”

After a quick breakfast, Ker gingerly climbed to her feet. “We still got a package to deliver.” She declared, shrugging into her duster and picking up her pack. Boone looked at her carefully, then nodded and grabbed his own things.

“About yesterday…” Boone began as they walked.

“I didn’t see them coming either.” Ker said, assuming that was what he was worried about.

“Not that.” Ker looked over at him, prompting him to continue. “You knocked me out of the way.”

“Yeah. That legionary was aiming at you and you couldn’t see it coming.”

“That bullet was meant for me.”

“So what? We’re partners.” Ker said with a shrug. Boone sighed. “What? Are you **disappointed**?” She asked roughly. Boone didn’t reply and they continued in uncomfortable silence.

“I’ve been thinking.” Ker finally broke the silence when they were within sight of McCarran. “How _is_ Betsy?”

“LT says she shrugged it off but behavior keeps gettin worse.” Boone said quietly. “Gettin worried.”

“That isn’t something you shrug off.” Ker said knowingly. She didn’t look at Boone as she spoke on. “Killing Cook-Cook provides her revenge but it doesn’t **help** her.” Ker thought carefully. “If you’re worried…” She trailed off. “Right then. When we get back to McCarran, can you clear the men out of the First Recon tent for a while? Ten minutes or so? Use the caps we earn to buy them a beer or something.” Ker said as she glanced at Boone.

“You don’t have to-“ Boone started.

“There’s a lot in life I don’t **have** to do but I choose to anyways.” Ker said with a forced smile. They reached McCarran and headed to Major Dhatri’s office.

“Boone! You’re late! I was gettin’ worried.” Major Dhatri greeted when they entered his tent. Ker’s duster hid her wounds well enough and she kept her still stiff left arm casually rested against her side with her hand in her pocket. She was fairly certain no one would be able to tell she was injured.

“Sorry, sir. We ran into some Legion assassins.” Boone said as he dropped the sack between them.

“Assassins?!” Dhatri repeated in surprise.

“Yes, sir. Squad of four with this on them.” Boone handed over the paper and the major examined it.

“You two have done a number on the Legion recently. While it is unwelcomed news they have decided to target you, it’s not entirely unexpected.” Dhatri said shaking his head and handing back the paper to Boone. “The unexpected part is that you made it back to McCarran. Though I must admit, I’d be royally pissed if the Legion killed my best sniper.” Dhatri laughed. “To think you killed Cook-Cook and a Legion hit squad and came away unscathed.”

“Not completely unscathed, sir.” Boone said glancing over to Ker who scoffed aloud.

“So the Legion was extra sneaky.” Ker shrugged. “The vexillarius was still a pushover.”

“You should visit the camp Doc.” Dhatri said, looking her over carefully.

“I’ll pass, thanks.” Ker kicked the bag at their feet. “You wanna check this?”

“Right.”Dhatri down to check the head but recoiled quickly from the smell. “Oh god, that’s foul.” He plugged his nose and checked the head. “That’s him alright.” He dropped the head back into the bag and kicked it aside. “Finally put an end to that bastard’s reign of terror. Hopefully this will help Betsy find some closure.” Dhatri pulled out another stack of NCR bills and handed them over to Boone.

“Thank you, sir.” Boone saluted and left the tent. Ker followed him to the First Recon tent where he went inside. She waited outside. A short while later, the three men of First Recon Alpha Team and Gorobets headed out of the tent followed by Boone.

“She should be back soon.” Boone said as he walked by. Ker nodded and went inside. She dropped her pack and rifle and got comfortable on the old couch. In only a moment she almost dozed off.

“Hey Spades, you should see-“ Betsy stopped when she saw the tent was empty of her friends and only Ker was there. “Hey, girl! What can **I** do for **you**?” Betsy said with a twisted grin.

“Stow it.” Ker said standing up with her hands in her pockets.

“What?” Betsy was slightly taken aback.

“Your friends are worried about you.” Ker said sternly.

“My **friends** should mind their own business.” Betsy said equally sternly.

“Good friends tend not to, or so I’m told.” Ker shrugged and then swallowed the lump in her throat. “You were raped. That's not something you can just shrug off.”

“Never said it was. But I don't need to talk to any doctors. Especially not the pricks around here. If I was smart, I'd fake a big old breakdown. That'd make everybody happy, and I'd get some leave time. But then I'd be doing what everybody wants, and being the asshole that I am, it just wouldn't feel right. Got to have some integrity.”

Ker hesitated. Betsy had been thinking this through. Ker hadn’t had that much time and didn’t quite know what to say. Ker sighed and shrugged off her duster then reached down to the hem of her shirt, forcing her injured shoulder to cooperate.

“Woah, girl! Gonna put on a show?” Betsy said with the same twisted smile.

“Not quite.” Ker said as she pulled the shirt off over her head and turned to face away from Betsy. She wasn’t quiet naked, she still wore an old bra, but it didn’t nearly hide the old scars. Ker heard the soft curse from Betsy.

“The Legion got their hands on me.” Ker said quietly.

“Motherfucker.” Betsy cursed loudly.

“I don’t think I need to go into detail about what they did.” Ker said quietly as she put her shirt back on, grabbed her duster and turned back to Betsy. “It’s been **years**. Struggling, coping, telling myself that I’m ok.” Ker walked back to the couch and sat down. “I never asked for help. ‘I’m tough as nails and as mean as mother deathclaw. I don’t **need** anyone’s help’. So I pushed it away, ignored it. Became what I needed to be to not hurt. And so I lived, bitter, hateful and alone for a long time. It nearly destroyed me.” Ker leaned back on the couch and got comfy.

“Up until a month ago I would have agreed with your decision to tough it out. Hell, it’s what I’m **still** doing. But I’m learning and changing and I’ve found out something interesting: there **are** people in this world you can trust. People who actually **care**. People who **want** to help. It doesn’t show you’re tough by refusing help; it shows you’re **scared**.”

Ker stood up. “You don’t have to listen to a word I say. In fact, you **could’ve** walked out when I started. If any of your friends needed help, you’d offer. So why refuse when it’s offered to you? Take my advice; don’t waste **years** of your life trying to deal with this on your own. It’s not worth it.” Ker picked up her pack. “Oh and if you think getting help when you need it is weak, well, I got news for ya. I’d be dead beside Nephi if not for Boone’s help. Gunshot wound, mental trauma, impossible odds, it’s all easier with help.”

“Now. I believe Boone is in the process of getting First Recon drunk. I think that includes you.” Ker said bluntly. “Will you join me?” Betsy just nodded and followed Ker out.

There was no bar in Camp McCarran per se, but finding alcohol was easy if you had the caps. Finding where all the red berets were staked out down one of the old runways was even easier.

“Found the missing beret!” Ker exclaimed as she and Betsy got close. She noticed all the snipers’ critical eyes on her.

“What took ya so long, Betsy?” The old sniper greeted happily while eyeing Ker. “Spades had almost talked Boone into handing over the last bottle.”

“What the hell Spades?! I thought you had my back!” Betsy laughed.

“I d-d-didn’t-“ Betsy cut him off with a hearty laugh as she took the offered bottle from Boone.

“Woah! Look at you, Boone! Splurging on the good stuff!” Betsy said as she took the bottle. “I thought you said you needed caps?”

“Not anymore. Fiends are dead.” Boone replied.

“All of th-th-them?” 10 of Spades asked in surprise.

“Yup.” Ker added as she gingerly hopped up onto a crate trying to avoid too much pain. She failed and grimaced before she got seated. She looked around at the group and counted the bottles of alcohol: five. She and Boone were the only ones without any libations. She briefly made eye contact with Boone, giving him a slight nod before he looked away.

“ **All** of them?” Betsy reiterated.

“Look at this singed duster!” Ker exclaimed sarcastically. “That’s what I get for fighting fire with fire I guess.”

“What?” Gorobets asked is confusion.

“Ker set Cook-Cook’s house on fire and then decided to fight him inside the burning building.” Boone explained succinctly.

“Luckily, I had someone around to pull me out of the fire after I won.”

“You b-b-beat him in hand to h-h-hand?!” 10 of Spades asked.

“I don’t think I’ve ever fought someone stronger. The first strike **should** have taken him down but he still nearly broke my ribs before I stabbed him in the neck.” Ker rubbed absently at her chest. “Anyways, Dhatri’s got his head if you want to see it with you own eyes.”

“Courier, you’re not going to join us for a drink?” Sterling asked curiously.

“I… don’t drink.” Ker said hesitantly, glancing over at Boone.

“You **don’t** drink?” Betsy said incredulously. “I don’t think I’ve even met someone who doesn’t drink. What about you, Boone? I **know** you drink.” Boone shifted uncomfortably under the combined gaze of his peers.

Ker spoke up instead. “I’m… not so comfortable around most soldiers.” She said honestly. “Last night almost having to fight off your MPs only made things worse. Boone has promised to deal with military matters while we’re here and I’ll hold him to that promise.”

“I heard about that.” Gorobets added. “Captain Curtis tried to make you his scapegoat.”

Not much later, Ker excused herself from the group. She was sore and tired and wanted to get some sleep. She was halfway back to their tent when she heard running behind her. She turned to see Boone jogging to catch up with her.

“I didn’t mean to pull you away from you friends.” Ker said when Boone caught up to her.

“You didn’t.”

They walked back to their tent together. When they reached the tent Ker sat her pack on the bed and dug through until she found a Stimpak. She then sat down on the bed herself carefully injected the stim into her shoulder.

“I think we should head back to the Strip tomorrow. Get some rest and check on the others.”


	10. Brawl

# Chapter 10: Brawl

 

_We’ve been spotted. We should retreat._

_Can’t. Got Legion coming in from the left and right too._

_Then we scale the cliff behind us._

_We shoot._

Ker’s mind was racing through her past. It barely lingered on anything as it worked its way through her memories. The sharp crack of a whip caused her to flinch involuntarily. The sound of heavy rain brought with it a chill that made her shiver. Ker tried to calm down, tried to focus on something else. A different memory perhaps? An image came to her mind of her looking down a scope; a familiar scene from her life. But what she saw down the scope was not the legionary she expected but herself; beaten and bruised, bloody and dirty, hanging from a cross. The ropes around her wrists had long since cut through her scarred skin. She was covered in blood; her own blood. The gashes on her back barely bled anymore as her heart struggled to pump what little blood she had left. It was quiet. The only sounds where her own raspy breathing and the constant drip, drip, drip of her blood on the sand below. The distant rumble of thunder barely registered in her hazy mind. It took the cool drops of water on her face for her to notice it was raining. She couldn’t even raise her head enough to try and sate her burning thirst with rainwater. The rain started to pick up. The cool water roused her enough to allow her to curse her father’s name in her mind one more time. A rolling rumble of thunder pulled her back to her reality; back to the time and place of her death. She noticed it then, water rushing by the base of the cross she hung from: a flash flood. Eventually the torrent of water rushing by the cross was enough to make the cross shake. With a sudden crack, the old brittle wood broke and together with the cross she plunged into the water. Upon hitting the water, the crossbeam her hands were tied to snapped and she was free; free to drown. The icy water was a shock to her system after hanging in the sun for a day and a half. That shock was what she needed. She wouldn’t die here. She still had work to do. Her hand reached out through the water and found the remains of her cross. She clung to the log as it was swept away in the torrent.

Ker sat bolt upright in the cot. She was soaked with sweat and breathing hard. She looked around frantically. She was in a dark tent. Nearby she could hear someone snoring softly.

_McCarran._ She reminded herself quickly.

_They all deserve to die._ Ker shook her head briskly and tried to ignore her father. _The sniper knows too much. Kill him and go east. Earn your name. Show the Legion you are an unstoppable force._

Ker looked over at Boone. He was obviously asleep and softly snoring. It was probably due to the familiar atmosphere of the camp; the very thing that made sleeping hard for her.

_There’s still a few hours of darkness left. More than enough time to make a silent kill and steal the supplies you require. You could even stop by and kill the two legionaries in camp._

_More than enough time._ Ker agreed automatically. She stared toward Boone with glassy eyes.

_There’s no reason to hesitate. This is what the sniper wants. Had you not come along, the alcohol would have killed him eventually. Do for him what he cannot do himself._

_He was disappointed I saved him yesterday._

_His vendetta against the Legion will continue to put you in danger. You **cannot** die, not yet. It will be a release from his suffering. Like the release you so desperately wanted while you hung in the desert sun._

Ker remembered her dream; her past. She drew her knife out from under her pillow.

_Shut. Up!_ The righteous indignation in the little voice was obvious. _Ker! Snap out of it! You **don’t** have to listen to him!_

_But he’s right._

**_Is_ ** _he? Remember what Boone said! You don’t have to be a slave! What do **you** want to do?!_

_I want… I want to help him. I don’t what him to suffer like I do. But I can’t. I’m just a weapon; I don’t know how to help him._ Ker thought sadly as she dropped the knife into her lap.

_So what?_

_What?_

_So what if you don’t know how to help him! As long as you’re both alive, there’s still a chance to learn!_

_And you cannot die._ Her father reminded her.

Ker thought for a second. _Then we **both** live._ Ker stated firmly. Ker quickly shifted on the cot and pulled on her boots. She strapped on her pistols and sheathed her knives.

_What are you doing?_ Sable asked curiously.

_I can’t be here right now. I’m getting some air._ Ker quietly left the tent and headed out into the dark night. The camp was quiet. There was hardly anyone awake at this hour except a few sentries. She found a quiet, shadowed place near the wall and sat down. She could see the terminal from where she sat. She sat and watched as nothing happened. A sudden noise drew her attention to the terminal and a boisterous crowd of maybe a dozen obviously drunk soldiers came stumbling out of the building. The men and women were laughing and talking as they stumbled through the camp. Ker watched as they made their way to their bunks. Behind the crowd were two MPs following at a distance.

Ker watched until the camp was quiet again then decided she should probably head back to her tent. When she got back she found Boone was still asleep. Ker wasn’t tired and it wasn’t long until sunrise so she sat on her cot and quietly sorted through her pack. Her supplies were no longer as meager as they had been. Ammo, food and water were in abundance. Medical supplies were expensive but they had a few med kits and Stimpaks between them. The rest of their wealth was in caps.

As she sorted, Ker came across something she wasn’t expecting; a copy of Guns and Bullets. She hadn’t read a book in years and had opted for selling it but Boone had wanted to keep it, saying it was an issue he hadn’t seen before. When they had evened out the weight of supplies they carried, it had ended up in her bag. Ker smiled to herself, lit up the dull light on her Pip-boy and started to read.

Boone roused with the camp shortly after dawn. He sat up and stretched, surprised at the fact that he **hadn’t** been awakened by a nightmare.

“You slept like the dead.”

 Boone looked over to see Ker sitting cross legged and fully geared on her cot with a book on her lap. She hadn’t looked up from the book when she spoke to him. Boone just grunted a reply as he yawned.

“Did you know in the first guns people used you had to load the bullet and gunpowder **separately**? You literally carried around a sack of gunpowder and poured it down the barrel of a rifle. Then you dropped the bullet in on top, took aim, and lit the fuse.” Ker finally looked up toward him.

Boone was caught off guard for a moment when he met her eyes. Her normally dull grey eyes were bright and full of life in the early morning light. “Yeah.” He replied quickly. “Heard a bit about that in school.”

“School?” Ker asked, cocking her head to the side. “The NCR has schools?”

“Mandatory for age six to twelve. Military won’t take you if you can’t read, write and do math.” Boone explained.

“Mandatory?” Ker repeated in surprise. “You mean **everyone** in the NCR can read?”

“Mostly. Yeah.”

“Huh.” Ker looked back down at the book in her lap. “The Legion doesn’t teach their soldier how to read. They have specially appointed scribes who learn from priests. Frumentarii usually learn to recognize important words but rarely anything more.”

“Where did you learn? Your father?” Boone asked. He knew a lot of people in the wasteland weren’t nearly as educated as the NCR, but until now he hadn’t realized that reading might not be that common beyond the California.

“No. My mother. She taught me and a few other rangers’ kids. The rest I learned from my father’s Pip-Boy 2500.”

“Anything else interesting in that issue?” Boone asked. He hadn’t known Ker long but in that time he hadn’t seen her like this; this bright, this engaged, this… happy.

“There’s this long article on the core-ii-o-lus effect. That’s the thing that makes sniper bullets fired east or west act differently but you probably know that.” Ker closed the book on her lap. “Shall we head back to the strip? We’ve made a fair bit of money and I could use a few days to recover.

“Alright.” It didn’t take Boone long to get ready.

“So a Monorail is a train, then.” Ker asked has they walked through the camp.

“Yeah.”

“Mono. Rail. One rail. A train on one rail?” She asked, pulling the definition from her knowledge of Latin.

“Right.” Boone replied, realizing that not having gone to an actual school in no way meant Ker was ignorant.

“I’ve seen a train before.”

“Oh?” Boone asked. The NCR had some trains running back in California but he’d never heard of any running to the east.

“The Legion spent a considerable amount of time trying to clear the rails out of Flagstaff. They made it to Seligman. They planned on clearing the way to Kingman after they took it. Father and I blew the tracks near Yampai.” Ker said with pride. “It caused a spectacular derailment.” Ker snickered. “We were on the run for **weeks** after that.” Ker thought for a moment. “They tried to get a train running on the other side of the break.” She shook her head briskly. “But I couldn’t get close enough to blow the tracks whenever I tried. I don’t know if they ever got it running though.”

When they got close to the Monorail platform the two guards at the door immediately aimed their guns at Ker.

“Halt! State your business!” One guard shouted.

“Uh… Colonel Hsu said we could use the Monorail. I have a note here.” Ker said as she pulled it out of her pocket.

“Easy, Soloman.” The other guard said calmly. “This is the woman who smoked out Captain Curtis.” The guard shouldered his rifle. “Let’s see that letter, miss.” The first soldier hesitantly shouldered his rifle. Ker approached with Boone beside her and handed over the letter. “Yup. That’s the colonel’s chicken scratch if I ever saw it. You’re free to pass miss, sir.” The guard returned the letter and opened the door for them. There were only a few people on the platform but everyone turned to stare as they approached.

“Why are they staring?” Ker asked quietly.

“Not many civilians are allowed to ride the Monorail.” Boone answered.

Ker stood uncomfortably as they waited. Finally she could hear the incoming train. She watched as the train pulled into the station and the soldiers onboard filed off. Ker then followed Boone onboard nervously and they found some free seats. Soon the train left the station and started to accelerate. Between the crowd in the train car, the unfamiliar experience, and the stares, Ker was starting to panic.

“Relax.” Ker heard quietly from beside her. “Look, you can see the Lucky 38 from the window now.” Ker looked over and she could indeed see the Lucky 38, as well as some of the other casinos on the Strip in the distance.

“They have stuff like this in the NCR?” Ker asked to distract herself.

“No Monorails, but quite a few trains.”

“The NCR has an army, schools, hospitals?” She asked.

“Yeah.”

“All that and more I bet. Why are you even here? Why were you in Novac when you could have went back to all that?” Ker asked.

“Legion is out here.” Boone said sternly.

“Was Carla from the NCR?” Ker asked absently. She noticed Boone didn’t respond right away.

“No. I met Carla while I was at the Strip on leave.”

“People in Novac said Carla didn’t like it there.”

“No but couldn’t afford to live on the Strip. Manny was looking for a new home. He settled on Novac. We went with him, so we could stay close to the Strip.”

“But Manny didn’t like Carla.”

“No. He didn’t.”

“Did Carla like Manny?”

“Not really.”

“That must have been hard. Your two best friends didn’t like each other.” Ker said as she looked down at her feet. Boone didn’t answer. Ker took a chance. “What was Carla like?”

There was a moment of silence before Boone responded. “She talked a lot. Suited me fine. I never know what to say. And listening to her, it could... make you forget. She stuck out, pretty much everywhere we went. Like she was from a different time. A better time. I never met anyone like her.”

Ker smiled to herself. “A desert flower.”

They arrived at the station a short while later. Ker was happy to be off the train but still not happy about the crowds. To reach the Lucky 38 from the Monorail station, they had to walk the full length of the strip.

“So there are three casinos?” Ker asked as they walked.

“Yeah, the Tops, the Ultra-Lux and Gomorrah. There’s also Vault 21.” Boone answered.

“A vault?!” Ker asked in surprise.

“It operated until Mr. House took over the Strip. Then it became a hotel and casino.”

“And people come here to drink, gamble, fuck and then go home basically capless? I don’t see the appeal.” Ker said as they walked. She merely got a grunted from Boone in reply. They slowly made their way to the Lucky 38 where Victor greeted them and allowed them to pass freely.

“Ker! Boone! Welcome back!” Arcade greeted them in the foyer. Arcade then got suddenly serious. “What happened?”

“Huh?” Ker asked.

“Your arm.”

Ker looked down at her arms. “How can you tell?”

“I’ve had a lot of experience. What happened?” He asked again.

“Looks like me and Boone have made the Legion hit list.” Ker said with a grin.

“What?” Boone took the paper out of his pocket and handed it over to Arcade. He read it quickly. “The Legion came after you?!”

“Yeah, west of McCarran. Got the drop on us. I caught one in the shoulder but Boone patched me up.”

“Not that I don’t trust the first aid taught to NCR soldiers but… Well, actually I don’t. Let’s take a look at that wound.”

Ker shrugged and followed Arcade into her room.

A few hours later, Ker woke from a long nap and headed to the kitchen where she found Veronica working at the table. On the table in front of her were an abundance of electrical components. She was humming happily as she worked.

“How’s it coming?” Ker asked when she stepped into the kitchen.

“It’s coming. Mick only had some of the parts I needed. I managed to scrounge up most of the rest but I was still missing a few key pieces, but with the caps you brought back I should be able to get the last of what I need. Now, it’s just a matter of doing the repairs.”

“I take it you learned how to do this from your family?” Ker asked as she went over to the cupboard.

“Yes. It’s pretty useful. You making dinner?” Veronica asked happily. “Your food is so good.”

“Thanks.” Ker said as she pulled out supplies for an early dinner.

Boone sat in alone in a booth on the casino floor of the Lucky 38. The rest of his newfound companions were up in the presidential suite. On the table before him was a full bottle of whiskey he had found behind the casino’s bar, a glass and his 9mm pistol. His rifle was leaned up against the booth beside him.

Being back here, on the strip, was starting to get to him. Every other thought was of Carla. The memories were becoming too much. He pulled a letter out of his pocket and read it; a memory of a better time, a happier time. But that’s all it was; a memory. He sighed heavily as he put the letter on the table. He’d met Carla not far from where he was now. She’d been a waitress at the Tops. First Recon had some leave and had headed out as a group to take in a show and get drunk. The moment she approached their table, Boone’s entire life changed. It had taken a few drinks but eventually he found the nerve to ask her out on a date. She had laughed and politely refused, saying it was unprofessional to date customers. Boone had been crushed. Before she’d walked away, she said a few words that gave Boone hope.

“If I ever was gonna break that rule sugar, I just might do it for you.”

Boone spent the next few months chasing the girl of his dreams. Every chance he got he visited her. When he’d listen to her talk, every other aspect of his life became unimportant; even Bitter Springs. Soon, Boone found his priorities shifting. Whereas once his life focused on First Recon, now he was focused solely on Carla.

It was when she came to visit him at McCarran that Boone knew he had finally won her heart. Soon, his tour was up. When Gorobets had offered him the papers needed to sign back on, Boone politely refused them. It was that day that he proposed to Carla. He’d even managed to get his hands on an old world, gold ring.

Everything here on the Strip reminded him of Carla. Every store, every casino, every street corner reminded him of what he had, of what he lost, and of what he had to do. He looked down at the 9mm pistol on the table. He should have done it a long time ago but he’d needed to get his revenge first. Now, thanks to the courier, that was done. He’d joined her when she went to Nelson expecting to die there. He hadn’t expected his new partner to be so capable. But this charade couldn’t go on any longer. He’d played at life long enough.

Boone reached out and poured a glass of the whiskey; a little liquid courage would help him finally make the right decision. And this **was** the right decision. As long as he was around, everyone around him was at risk, especially the courier. She seemed determined to put herself between him and his fate. Eventually that would get her killed; all because of him.

Boone picked up the glass. A toast to the fallen; may they welcome him with open arms.

“If you take that drink, our partnership is over.”

Boone’s eyes shot up from the glass in his hand to the figure leaning against the elevator. “I can live with that.” He responded and went to drink. “I won’t have to for long.”

“So you’ve finally made you’re decision.” Ker said as she walked toward the booth.

“You gonna try and stop me?” Boone put the still full glass down on the table and stood to face Ker.

“No, I just figured you were stronger than that.” Ker shrugged.

“I’m not.”

“So I see. What do you want me to tell First Recon?”

“I don’t care.” Boone said picking up the glass from the table.

“No, you don’t. Do you?” Ker said with hands on her hips. Boone went to drink. “Last chance.” Boone made direct eye contact with Ker, and then downed the full contents of the glass.  Ker shook her head. “I was wrong. We are **nothing** alike. You aren’t **nearly** strong enough to survive this.” Ker stared angrily at Boone. “I’ll leave you to it then.” Ker turned to leave, but stopped suddenly. “But before I go…” Ker turned and launched a right cross that caught Boone right in the jaw. The impact knocked the glass from his hand to shatter on the floor and staggered him back a step. “That’s for **shooting** me!”

Boone could admit he deserved that one. He was surprised by the sheer force behind the punch. He’d been in the odd fistfight before and taken a few solid hits during his brief hand to hand training, so he had some idea of what to expect. It didn’t prepare him for this. He stood back up with a hard glare in his eyes. “Happy now?” He growled.

“Not yet. My father was right. You **are** a liability.” Ker grinned a sadistic grin. “And only a moderate threat at close range. I can’t trust your wavering resolve to finish the job. You said it yourself; you’re **weak**.  Guess I’ll finish it myself.” Boone knew she was struggling with her own inner demons but was that all it took? Was being partners the only thing that was keeping her from killing him? It didn’t matter, she attacked him. He got what he deserved for trusting someone who admitted to hearing voices. Ker launched another obvious punch at Boone. Boone managed to block the incoming punch and countered. His own punch nearly caught Ker in the cheek but she was too fast.

“I **never** should have trusted you!” Boone shouted back. The fight was on. Boone could barely keep up with Ker and quickly found himself on the defensive. Soon Boone’s back was against the wall.

“It’s a good thing Carla’s **dead**. If she could see what you’ve become, she’d be **disgusted**.” Ker spat. Who was she to talk about Carla? They had never even met. If anything, Carla would be disgusted with Ker. Ker was the antithesis of the cultured and civilized world Carla loved. Carla wouldn’t have even given Ker the time of day. Boone roared and charged forward trying to tackle Ker. Ker deftly redirected his momentum and sent him head first into the bar counter.

“ **You** don’t get to talk about her!” Boone shouted as he shook his head and got back to his feet. “You’re nothing but a maladjusted **slave** looking for a **master**!”

He saw Ker grit her teeth. “Says the **coward**! Sheltered little NCR **boy** thought he could survive the wasteland. Your first taste of the horrors of the real world and you **crumble**.” Ker laughed maliciously.

“You can’t even **understand** what I lost!” Boone lashed out with a punch that Ker deftly blocked. “I should have died **with** them!”

“You think dying will get you, what?! **Forgiveness**?! **Closure**?! Dying. Solves. **Nothing**!”

“You don’t know shit! You’re just a crazy wastelander who cares about **nothing** but killing!” Boone charged Ker.

“You think you’re the **only** one to suffer out here?” Ker stood and braced herself against Boone’s charge; his greater strength causing her feet to slide along the floor.

“Suffer?! You **enjoy** it! Admit it! The only time you feel alive is when you’re covered in Legion blood!” For just a moment, Boone saw a deep sadness in Ker’s eyes. Then it was gone.

“At least I’m living my life and not drinking myself to death!” Ker seethed.

“What **life**? You’re nothing but a rabid **animal** that should be put down!” Boone used his slight advantage to uppercut Ker in the stomach; knocking some of the wind out of her.

“Let me tell you something about life, Boone! Life is pain, and suffering, and horror.” Ker said, catching her breath and blocking Boone’s next strikes. “ **I** do something about it! Not sulk and mope and hide from the world in a fucking dinosaur!” Ker followed suit and got in close to knock the wind out of Boone. Boone collapsed to his knee as he fought for breath then lunged forward. Ker wasn’t expecting Boone to charge forward and he tackled them both to the ground. Boone tried to gain the upper hand but Ker rolled on top of him straddling him while pinning a wrist on either side of his head.

“Carla loved you.” Ker hissed. “Of all the people on the Strip, **she picked you** and you did everything you could for her! You saved her; you saved **them** , from a **lifetime** of suffering. Now, you have **so** many options; **so** much potential. And yet you’ve turned to mercy killing! I guess you’ve already lost.”

“Are you finished?” Boone said flatly, panting but not struggling.

Ker hesitated. “Yes.” She finally answered, releasing Boone’s wrists and sitting back so she was straddling him. With a sigh, she stood up. “I never should have invited you to come with me in Novac. I didn’t need a **second** partner to abandon me.”

Ker walked back to the elevator. “Don’t make a mess in my casino.” She called as she got in the elevator and hit the button for the presidential suite. She held onto the last of the adrenaline as she rode the elevator up. When she reached the top she got out and stomped toward her room, ignoring Arcade’s question about her dishevelled appearance. Once inside she locked the door, threw her weapons on the table and curled up in bed.

_You should have gone through with your threat. The sniper is beyond saving._

_Maybe._ Ker answered.


	11. Going Home

# Chapter 11: Going Home

 

Boone sat up as the elevator doors closed. He rubbed at his aching jaw then got to his feet and collected his belongings, including the bottle of whiskey, before storming out of the Lucky 38. He was furious, not only about the things that Ker had said but also at himself for utterly losing the fight. Even though he knew Ker’s hand to hand skills were practically unmatched, he was still angry.

He wandered a few blocks down the street before finding an empty bench. He dropped down onto the bench and seethed in his barely controlled rage. He couldn’t believe he’d considered that woman, that **animal** , to be his partner. To say the things she said, she must have been holding back the whole time they were together. He was lucky she hadn’t turned on him sooner. But then again, if she’d wanted him dead, why wasn’t he dead? He was bigger than her, yes, and stronger than her, but she was fast and skilled. She’d had every advantage in that fight and yet, he was still alive, nothing was even broken. If she hadn’t wanted him dead, why start a fight?

_Things are hard here. Dealing with people is hard. I never know what to say._ Ker had admitted.

But she knew **exactly** what to say to provoke him. One word from Ker about Carla and he’d lost it. She goaded him on; riled him up until he had burst and said the things he’d been thinking for a long time.

_I should have died with them._ He’d said between insults.

_You think dying will get you, what? Forgiveness? Closure? Dying solves nothing._ She’d shot back. _You saved her; you saved them, from a lifetime of suffering. Now, you have **so** many options; so much potential. And yet you’ve turned to mercy killing._

Boone was still angry but the more he thought about their somewhat violent exchange, the more he calmed down. Filtering out the insults, it was a conversation they should have had a while ago, but neither liked to talk about their past.

Boone found he was conflicted. Earlier in the evening he was sure he’d never see another sunrise. But now…

_Dying solves nothing._

She was right. Boone needed to clear his head. He stood up from the bench and headed off into the crowd.

After an hour of wandering aimlessly though the rowdy Strip, Boone found himself at the Monorail. His beret was all the identification he needed and he passed through security without a problem. He rode the Monorail to McCarran with the drunk and boisterous crowd. He followed the crowd for a while. After the crowd had thinned out, he realized where his feet were taking him.

“Boone! Good to see you again.” Sterling called as Boone approached the First Recon tent.

“Sterling.” Boone replied with a nod.

“Where’s your partner?”

“Solo now.”

“Something happen to her?” Sterling asked with concern.

“She’s fine.”

“Ah… Funniest rumour going around camp about that courier.” Sterling said, shaking his head.

“What rumour?” Boone asked, slightly intrigued.

“Word is she’s Carter Cross’s daughter, Sable.”

“Why’s that interesting?”

Sterling laughed. “Well, it might not be interesting to you, but it sure as hell is to us rangers.”

“Why?”

“Well, you see, Carter Cross was a bit of a legend among the Desert Rangers.” Sterling motioned toward the tent and Boone followed him in and sat across from him at the table. “Carter was the son of rangers. Stories say he was a bit of a wunderkind when it came to all things ranger. By 12, he was the best shot in Kingman. By 15, he was already doing solo forays against the Legion. He was the best weapon in the rangers’ arsenal against the Legion. If it weren’t for him the Legion might’ve got to the Mojave before the NCR. He had a knack for killing the Legion and never balked at doing the dirty work. Now this isn’t to say Carter was someone you wanted to know. This is to say Carter was someone you wanted on your side, but as far away from you as possible. He knew he was good. He was a rude, self-centered, egotistical bastard. But he had a major hate on for the Legion, and that made him useful. Until the Unification Treaty that is.”

“When the Desert Rangers joined the NCR.” Boone added to show his understanding.

“Right. Carter hated the NCR almost as much as he hated the Legion. When he found out about the Treaty, he quit the Desert Rangers on the spot. Nobody’s seen hide nor hair of him since. Some folks think he finally got caught by the Legion. Others say he went north and became a raider. But, no one knows for sure.”

“What about Sable?”

“Well, you see, where Carter was a legend, Sable was a bit more of a myth. Sable was Carter’s only child and the way the Desert Rangers used to work was you passed on your knowledge to your kids. Rumour was Carter took Sable from Kingman to train when she was only five years old. Which was a big breach of protocol; that was far too young to go out into the field. But the rangers looked the other way. No one really wanted to oppose Carter or pull his attention off the Legion. Apparently, she was last seen at the Unification Treaty meeting. It’s always been assumed that whatever happened to Carter, Sable shared his fate.”

“What else can you tell me about Sable?”

“I never met Sable, least to the best of my recollection. So all I can really do is pass on the rumours.”

“That’s fine.”

“Sable was a bright kid; smart as a whip and as kind as the day is long. Most people couldn’t believe that a child like that was even related to Carter.”

“What else can you tell me about Carter?”

“Well, let’s see. I only met the bastard a few times. Carter was a damn good shot; the First Recon of the Desert Rangers. While he preferred to take his targets at range he was no stranger to close quarter tactics; often using knives and pistols. But his attitude made him difficult to work with, so he usually worked alone.” Sterling was quiet for a few moments. “I believe that makes it your turn, Boone.”

“What?” Boone was startled out of thought.

“Well, **is** she Sable Cross?”

“Sable Cross died on a cross five years ago outside Hackberry.” Boone said, repeating exactly what Ker had told him.

“And how exactly do you know **that**?” Sterling asked.

“My partner told me.” Boone said as he stood up.

“I see.” Sterling said contemplatively. Boone turned to leave. “Boone, wait.” Boone turned back to Sterling. “If your partner ever was Sable Cross, do us rangers a favor and look after her. We failed her. Too busy fixing the problems of the desert to fix the problems in our own organization. I can only imagine what that bastard put her though.” Sterling sighed sadly.

“I know a little. Wish I didn’t.”

“Goddammit.” Sterling sighed.

Boone heard several people approaching the tent. He stepped out and ran right in 10 of Spades and Bitter-Root.

“B-b-Boone!” Spades greeted. Bitter-Root nodded to Boone as he walked by into the tent. “How’d you d-d-do it? What’d you s-s-say?”

“What?” Boone asked, not knowing what he was talking about.

“T-t-to Betsy. She’s finally g-g-getting help.”

“She is?!” Boone asked in surprise. Betsy did not easily change her mind.

“She says it’s no d-d-different than a bullet wound. G-g-gotta treat it to heal.”

“Huh.” Boone said in surprise. “Wasn’t me.”

“It w-w-wasn’t?!” Spades replied. “It was after y-y-you left.”

“Might’ve been my partner.”

“The c-c-courier?” Spades thought for a second. “Can you th-th-thank her for me?”

“Might not see her again.”

“If you d-d-do…”

“Alright.”

“Gotta hit the h-h-hay; early m-m-morning.” Spades said as he turned toward the tent.

“Right.” Boone understood. As Spades waved goodbye, Boone turned and left.

The camp was asleep, making McCarran a good place to do some thinking. Boone wandered down one of the runways until he found some crates. He then sat down on a crate with a loud sigh. He needed to figure out what to do. His pack was back at the Lucky 38 but he had all the essentials with him, mainly his rifle and sidearm. He also still had the bottle of whiskey from the bar.

He didn’t have a partner to consult anymore so it was just up to him to decide what to do. He could go back to Novac; defend the town with Manny again.

_Sulk and mope and hide from the world in a fucking dinosaur!_

Ker was right. That’s **exactly** what he’d be doing. Just waiting for whatever would finally come his way. He had to admit, being out in the world these last few weeks had been, if nothing else, distracting. It had also been productive; helping out here at McCarran especially. He looked around. He could reenlist. No. Every time he thought about reenlisting he was reminded of Bitter Springs. He knew it’d be worse if he rejoined First Recon. He could go back to hunting the Legion. No. He had learned the hard way how ineffective that was solo. He’d need to find a new partner. Someone who wouldn’t mind putting their life on the line for someone they hardly knew. Someone who’d risk the possibility of being captured by the Legion just to help him get revenge. That would be difficult to find. He’d spent months waiting last time. Months of seeing the same traders pass through town, never a new face among them. He could end it all.

_You think dying will get you, what?! Forgiveness?! Closure?! Dying solves nothing!_

Dying solves nothing. If he was dead, he couldn’t get more revenge on the Legion. If he was dead, he’d never see the Legion defeated. But if he was dead he wouldn’t hurt anymore. But then, who would remember Carla? He never should have spoken to Carla in the first place. He never should have gotten her involved.

_Carla loved you. Of all the people on the Strip, she picked you._

He hadn’t thought of that. Getting married wasn’t his decision alone. Carla had to say yes. She had to love him too. He knew how much he loved her, if she had loved him the same…

_If she could see what you’ve become, she’d be disgusted._

Maybe not disgusted, but definitely heartbroken. If he’d died, he wanted her to move and to be happy. If she knew what he was considering right now; he couldn’t help but smile at the thought of Carla scolding him for being stupid.

_You did everything you could for her! You saved her; you saved them, from a lifetime of suffering!_

He’d told himself the same thing more times than he could count but hearing someone else say it really drove the point home.

Ker had said exactly what he needed to hear. She goaded him on to find out what was bothering him then tried to help in the best way she knew. He looked down at the bottle of whiskey in his hand.

_If you take that drink, our partnership is over._

He had taken the drink; partly out of spite and partly to make her move on and forget about him. He was ready to end it, but she still had his back. Even after he’d made it clear he’d rather kill himself then be her partner. Boone rubbed his stiff jaw. And the things he’d said…

_You’re nothing but a maladjusted slave looking for a master! You’re nothing but a rabid animal that should be put down!_

She was just trying to help. If she’d actually wanted to hurt him, he wouldn’t have walked away from that fight. He knew how hard it was for her to manage on this side of the river. He knew she was out of her element. He knew she was dealing with her own demons. And yet, instead of having her back, he’d left her alone.

_I didn’t need a second partner to abandon me._

She trusted him. He knew what that meant and he still left. He was no better than the bastard she called father. They’d **both** used her to help them kill the Legion, and then abandoned her. He’d messed up again. Made the wrong decision and hurt someone close to him. He had to do something about it. Maybe he could fix this, maybe he would die trying, either way was a win to him. He would try, then. He would try and make up for some of his mistakes while he still had time left. He had to go back but would she even forgive him? Could she even forgive him? And if she did would she ever trust him again?

Boone set the bottle of whiskey down on the crate beside him and then stood up. He knew what he had to do.

Ker woke before dawn the next morning and started packing; food, water, ammo, pistols, knives… and rifle. She looked at the rifle in her hands. It had been a gift from Boone. It didn’t matter; he was probably dead by now. All she’d wanted to do was help him but she didn’t know how. With Boone dead there was only one thing keeping her in the Mojave. Ker pulled the platinum chip out of her pocket and went over to the desk in the corner. She grabbed a notepad from the desk and carefully wrote down two words in large but neat, blocky letters. Then she placed the platinum chip on the note. Now there was nothing keeping her here.

Ker finished packing and gearing up. It was strange, these feeling of loss for someone she hardly knew. She hadn’t realized in trying to help Boone, she’d become attached; emotionally invested. Only now that he was gone did she realize it. She didn’t like it, this emotional turmoil. Worse still, she had tried with everything she had to be a friend to Boone, at least what she thought a friend was. It hadn’t mattered. In the end, he would rather kill himself then stay with his new partner.

Carefully Ker snuck out of her room and down the elevator. It wasn’t worth it, to try again when she failed so miserably the first time. Her other companions would be better off without her, especially since she was on the Legion’s hit list now.

_Everything is temporary; emotions, thoughts, people, scenery. Do not become attached._

_I should have listened to you, father. Not to a stranger I met in the desert._

Heading east was like a breath of fresh air to Ker. The issues of the Mojave seemed to become less and less important with each step she took. Her father even approved of the action, though he still believed leaving the sniper alive was a loose end. Ker’s plan was to head east to pass north over Lake Mead then to head southeast. The battle for the dam was quickly approaching. The NCR could benefit greatly if she was able to disrupt Legion supply lines. She had adequate supplies and knew of several caches of supplies near the river; some hers, some her father’s and some belonging to the rangers.

She didn’t look back as she walked east. She slipped back into her old routine as she traveled; silent and watchful. There was no need for her to speak. Before she came west, she could go weeks without uttering a single word. She was very much used to being alone. Getting back to that would be familiar.

It took a few hours of walking to get back up to her usual pace. With no pursuing Legion in the west and no time sensitive objectives, she had fallen into a habit of walking at a more comfortable pace. When she crossed the river, she would need to fall back into her old habits. It wouldn’t be hard. She was almost looking forward to it.

Boone got back to the Lucky 38 not long after dawn. The securitrons didn’t stop him, so he headed in and up the elevator.  Arcade met him in the foyer.

“And where have **you** been?” Arcade asked coyly, seeing Boone’s dishevelled appearance.

“Out.” Boone answered tersely.

“That’s… vague.”

Boone merely grunted.

“Do you know what’s up with Ker?” Arcade asked.

“What do you mean?” Boone asked, suddenly worried.

“Well, she stormed in here last night looking a bit roughed up. Then she locked herself in her room and hasn’t come out. She won’t even answer us.” Arcade said sadly.

“I’ll talk to her.” Boone said quickly. Arcade nodded as Boone headed to Ker’s door.

“Ker?” He said as he knocked. “We need to talk.” He added after a moment. He got no response. He tried the doorknob. The door popped open.

“That was locked yesterday.” Arcade said warily.

Boone entered the room. It looked immaculate, much like the other rooms in the presidential suite. The only signs someone had even been in the room lately were the unmade bed and the open lockbox at its foot. Boone’s eagle eyes easily caught the other item that was out of place in the room. He walked over to the desk and saw the platinum chip lying on a note. Boone grabbed the note, quickly reading it.

“What…?” Boone worked to puzzle out the meaning of the two words written on the note. “Oh… Fuck.”

“What is it?” Arcade asked from the door.

Boone shoved the note into Arcade’s hands as he pushed by him and hurried back to the elevator. Arcade read the note quickly.

“Going home? She’s going home? Where’s home?!” Arcade called to Boone as the sniper rushed into the elevator and hit the casino floor button.

Boone rushed to Freeside where he asked around to see if anyone had seen Ker. Luckily, a small, lone woman in a duster was hard to miss in the slum. Once he knew which exit she’d taken he spent a few minutes looking for the freshest trail heading due east. There had been only one. Boone followed the trail at as fast a speed as he could sustain. He knew Ker had at least an hour head start on him, maybe more. He’d have to make up the time.

The trail Boone was following headed east until it turned northeast near Lake Mead. It was getting dark. If he didn’t catch Ker soon he’d have to camp and try again in the morning. He wasn’t even sure he **could** catch her. Her lifetime of living in the desert gave her experience well beyond his few years in the military.

He pushed himself, hard. He didn’t know what he’d do if he couldn’t catch her. If she reached the river, would he turn back or cross to keep following her? He didn’t want to think about it. Instead he focused on his breathing and keeping his pace as fast as possible.

As the last rays of light bleed from the sky the trail veered suddenly west toward a rocky outcropping. _Camp_. Boone breathed a sigh of relief. He slowed down and tried to catch his breath as he approached the rocky outcropping in the dark, moonless night. When he found what seemed to be a decent camping spot her flicked on his lighter to get a better view of the campsite. There was a very familiar pack sitting in the middle of the sheltered clearing. Beside it were a few packages of old world food and a canteen. In the dark he couldn’t find anything else or any sign of where Ker might have gone.

Boone sighed and flicked off his lighter. “You’re behind me, aren’t you?”

“Boone?!” He turned toward the voice. He heard rustling then a heavy thump as something landed in front of him. “What do you want?” Ker demanded roughly.

“You’re going east, to Kingman, aren’t you?” He asked sternly.

“Yes.” Ker said walking past him.

“Why?” He demanded.

“If I focus my efforts along I93, between Kingman and Hoover Dam, I could significantly disrupt the Legion supply lines.” Ker said matter-of-factly as she knelt and put the food and canteen back in her pack. “If I cause enough of a disruption it could benefit the NCR in the coming battle.”

“More orders from your **father**?” Boone spat.

“Father’s orders are absolute. I disobeyed them and look where I ended up; in the middle of a war with a partner who’d rather be dead then fight by my side.” Ker didn’t see Boone flinch at the words as she pulled the pack onto her shoulders and stood up. “I **tried** , Boone. I tried to be different. I tried to be **normal**. I tried to **help people**. But it was no use. I can’t help anyone. All I can do is what my father taught me.”

“What about Betsy?” Boone tried.

“Betsy made her decision. Nothing I said made a difference.”

“That’s not true. 10 of Spades told me Betsy finally asked for help.”

“What?”

“He wanted to know what I said to change her mind.”

“I’m glad.” Ker smiled to herself in the dark. “Take care of them, Boone. It’s a nice thing; having friends. And I’m sorry; I shouldn’t have said the things I said. But I didn’t know how else to get you to tell me what you were actually thinking.” Ker said sadly as she started to walk by Boone.

“Wait.” Boone said, stepping in front of her.

“Why?”

Boone recognized the determination in her voice; she wouldn’t be easily swayed by anything he said. He needed her to stay, needed to appeal to her in a way she couldn’t refuse. “It’s too dark to find another campsite and there are reports of deathclaws east of here. Unless you want to try and take on a deathclaw in the dark, I think you’re stuck here.” There was a moment of silence in the darkness.

_If the reports of deathclaws are indeed true, it would be a potentially fatal mistake to leave this campsite._

_I can’t trust the sniper. We aren’t partners anymore._

_No, but you can kill him._

“I threatened to kill you.” Ker finally replied.

“I’ve seen you fight enough to know you were going easy on me.”

“Alright.” Ker finally relented and moved over to some rocks at the edge of the clearing. After dropping her pack she produced a small amount of brush for a fire. It didn’t take her long to get a small fire burning. Then she and Boone sat in silence across the fire from each other.

They sat in silence for a long time. “If you still intend on hunting the Legion, you should improve your hand to hand skills. They are somewhat… lacking.” Ker broke the silence after what seemed like hours.

“Didn't have much hand-to-hand training. Don’t intend to be that close.”

Boone saw Ker dig though her pack for a few moments. “Here.” She said and tossed something small over the fire to him. He caught it, and then examined it. It was a small glass vial. Inside was a small amount of a sickly looking, yellowish liquid.

“What is it?”

“Pure cazador venom. If you drink it, it’ll kill you pretty quick; a lot quicker than the Legion. I have no intention of being captured again.” Ker explained bluntly. “If the Legion gets too close to you, it might be the best option.”

“Thought mercy killing was the last resort.”

“You seemed eager enough in the casino.” Ker was quiet for a moment then continued harshly. “Why didn’t you? In fact, why are you even **here**? You made it perfectly clear that you no longer wanted to be partners. You have no obligation to watch my back anymore.”

“Friend of mine once told me dying solves nothing. Figured I’d try living a bit longer, see if I can make up for some of my mistakes.” Ker cocked her head to the side in thought as she stared at Boone while he spoke. “Figured I’d start with this one.”

“This one?” Ker asked in surprise.

“Shouldn’t have taken that drink.” Boone said shaking his head. “Think I **needed** to hear the things you said. Need to be stronger. Need to be the man Carla fell in love with again.”

“I’d like to meet that man.” Ker replied with a soft smile.

“Want to be partners again.” Boone finally said.

Ker leaned back against the rocks behind her and looked up at the starry sky. “It’s not that simple, Boone.”

“Why not? You still had my back, even after I took that drink.”

“I didn’t want you die. I said the things I said to goad you on; to make you angry. You see things differently when you’re angry and say things you’d otherwise never say. I don’t think Carla would be disgusted with you. Sad, yes, and heartbroken. And I know you’re strong enough to survive in the wasteland because you’re **still** alive. But what **you** said…”

_You’re nothing but a maladjusted slave looking for a master! You’re nothing but a rabid animal that should be put down!_

“Just confirms what I suspected from the beginning. I don’t belong here, Boone. I don’t think I’ll ever belong here.”

“I was angry. I didn’t mean-“ Boone started.

“Yes. You did.” Ker interrupted. “Being angry, you said exactly what you were thinking. I’m not mad, just glad to know. If my partner sees me as nothing more than a rabid animal, maybe that’s all I am. Maybe that’s all I’ll ever be.” Ker shrugged.

“That’s all you’ll be if that’s all you **want** to be.” Boone said sternly. “If **I** have choices and potential, so do **you**. You can be anything you want to be; do anything you want to do! There’s no one who could stop you.”

“Except my father.”

“He’s not here.”

“No, but he’s in here.” Ker said tapping her temple with one finger.

“So? You’re stronger than him. You can do whatever you want to do.”

“I **want** to go east. I **want** to do what I was made to do. I **want** to follow my father’s orders. I **want** to get revenge. I **want** to destroy the Legion.”

“That’s really what **you** want?”

“Yes.”

Boone was quiet for a moment. His next words were a calculated risk. “What does Sable want?”

“What?” Ker said flatly, narrowing her eyes at Boone. “I **told** you, Sable is **dead**.”

“Maybe, but Sable was a smart and kind kid. I don’t think that’s what **she** would want.”

“Who **told** you that?” Ker said fiercely.

“Apparently your ranger friend can’t keep his mouth shut. Word around McCarran is the courier is Sable Cross. All the rangers are talking about it.”

“Shit!” Ker shouted as she dropped her face in her hands. “Shit! Shit! Shit!”

“Why does that matter?” Boone asked, confused.

Ker shot to her feet and shouted in anger. “Because Sable was **weak**! Sable was **trusting**! Sable was **naive**! Sable got caught! Sable trusted father! Sable believed father would **save** her!” Ker suddenly went very still as she stared across the fire at Boone. “It was Sable who broke to the Legion torture.” She whispered. “Sable who prayed for death when she could take no more and Sable who gave up while she hung from the cross.” Ker took a deep breath, willing away the tears. “It was Ker that survived the flash flood. Ker who survived alone and practically **dead** in the desert with no supplies. And it was Ker who took revenge on the Legion **alone** for **years**.”

Ker took a few unsteady breaths, trying to control the cold rage and bitter hate that threatened to overcome her. “I am who I **choose** to be, Boone. I choose to be strong. I choose to be vicious. I choose to be **rabid**. To you, I may just be a maladjusted **slave** , but I **survived** where no one else could have!” Ker was pretty sure she was crying by now, but whether they were tears of rage or sorrow, she didn’t know. “I will **never** be weak again.”

Boone was speechless. Slowly and carefully, he stood up; well aware Ker’s entire focus was on him and how easily she could injure him if she chose to. It only took two steps to circle the small fire. When he reached out, Ker flinched but didn’t move. When he pulled her into a bear hug, she struggled for a moment against his greater strength. She was stiff in his arms, as if she didn’t understand what he was doing. He just held her tightly and slowly, she began to relax in his grip. Eventually, her forehead came down to rest against his chest and the tears she was crying began to fall in earnest.

As Boone held her, his own rage started to build. How could you do this to someone? To your own daughter? Take her to fight the Legion as a **child.** Train her so brutally that she barely recognizes a **hug**. Abandon her to villains where she would suffer unimaginable horrors. Boone knew exactly what sort of person could do this: Carter Cross. He kept his rising anger in check as he held the small woman in his arms.

He wasn’t sure how long they stood there. Eventually she stopped crying. When the sniffles ebbed she tried to pull away from him and he let her go.

“I’m sorry you had to see that, Boone.” She sniffed.

“Don’t be. You’ve been through hell; it only makes sense it would have some effect on you.” They stood awkwardly in the quiet night, listening to the snaps and crackles of the fire.

Finally, Ker broke the standoff by wiping her eyes and nose on the sleeve of her duster. “Are there really deathclaws east of here?” She asked as she sat down where she stood.

“Yes.” Boone answered, sitting down where he was standing which left him less than a foot from Ker. “Do you still want to go east?” He asked hesitantly. “You don’t need to kill legionaries to prove you’re strong.”

“Is that what I’m doing?” Ker thought for a moment. “You may be right. Do you still want to be partners again? I can’t guarantee I won’t hit you again.” Ker said with just a hint of humour.

“Yes, and I think I needed a little sense knocked into me.”

“Alright.” Ker said softly and then continued more firmly. “But if you’re still committed to fighting the Legion, you need to brush up on your close quarters combat.”

“You’re staying then?” Boone asked optimistically.

“Yes. I can’t leave my only friend to face this world alone.”


	12. Bitter

# Chapter 12: Bitter

 

Boone hit the floor hard enough to shake the pictures that still hung from the walls. He still couldn’t believe he’d agreed to this. He was a sniper. He shouldn’t need to know this.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Boone had asked.

“Yes.” Ker had responded.

“We don’t **have** to do this.”

“Yes we do.”

“I’m a **sniper**.”

“And I trust you implicitly to watch my back at range. But what happens if a legionary gets by me? I need to know for certain you can handle at least **one** legionary in close quarters. You don’t have to be better than them; you just need to be **prepared**.” And so Boone found himself on the floor of the Lucky 38’s casino, staring up into the overhead lights.

“I’m so glad you asked me to help you with this.” Veronica laughed from where she stood over Boone.

“Size-wise, you’re a better match for him as a sparring partner than I am.” Ker answered from nearby.

“I don’t think he’s getting up.” Veronica laughed again.

“That’s probably enough for today anyways.” Ker said as she approached the two. “At least he’s getting it.”

“Slowly, but I guess he is.” Veronica agreed.

“Thanks for the help, Veronica.”

“Done with me already? Alright, time for a **hot** shower. See ya later!” Veronica waved and headed up the elevator to the presidential suite.

“That one looked like it hurt.” Ker said as she walked over to Boone and held out a hand to help him up. He took her hand and she managed to haul him to his feet. Ker handed Boone his beret as he got to his feet.

“Thanks.” He mumbled, then tried not to limp as he made his way to a nearby booth and collapsed onto the seat.

Ker sat down across from him. She checked to make sure Veronica was actually gone. “When we were near the Deathclaws to the east, you said you wanted to make up for some of your mistakes. Is one of those mistakes Bitter Springs?”

“Yeah.”

“What happened there?”

“There was a... miscommunication.”

“A miscommunication?”

“Yeah, well. That's how they wrote it up in the report.” Boone sighed. “We did what we were there to do. Lot of people got killed. That's war.      Maybe looking back you'd do things differently, but that's not how it works. In the field, you hesitate; you or someone you care about will die. They teach that from day one.”

“You wish you’d done things differently?” Ker asked.

“I only would've needed one bullet to do things right that day.” Ker was quiet. She didn’t know what to say. Eventually, Boone spoke again. “I think…” Ker looked up at him, trying to reassure him. “I think maybe I should go to Bitter Springs. I don't know what I'm hoping to find there.”

“Are you sure?” Ker asked carefully.

“I don’t know. Just tired of thinking about it.”

“Alright. We can head out tomorrow.”

They geared up that day and left the next morning. The days walking were quiet. When they stopped for the night, Ker demanded Boone practice the close quarter tactics she had been teaching him. Boone grumbled a bit but did so.

“Christ. They put the graveyard here.” Boone broke the long silence late on the second day.

“We’re here?” Ker asked to be sure.

“This way.” Boone walked off through the graveyard. Ker followed close behind. They went through the twisting canyon until it veered sharply right and let out on a much larger canyon filled with makeshift shelters. Two sides were steep rock walls. To the north was a slowly sloping mountainside and the south was open to the desert.

“This is the place.” Boone began. Ker just listened. “We got sent from Camp Golf, looking for some Khans who'd been making trouble with one of our settlements. I guess one of the settlers was connected, because we sent everything we had. We figured this was a gang hideout, but... they'd led us to their home. There's a ridge called Coyote Tail on the south side. That's where we set up.”

Ker followed Boone back through the twisting canyon and back out through the graveyard. They headed to nearby ridge and they climbed to the top.

“Canyon 37. That's what the NCR calls the pass down there. It was the Khans' only escape, so we set up here to guard it while the main force attacked from the front. Standing orders were to shoot on sight.” Boone sighed deeply.

“What happened?” Ker prompted gently.

“Main force got spotted too soon. We heard shooting. Then Khans started coming through Canyon 37 in bunches. It was all wrong, though. Women, kids, elderly. Wounded started coming through, too. We radioed to confirm our orders but command didn't get what we were seeing. They told us to shoot till we were out of ammo. So that's what we did.”

“You were just following orders.” Ker tried to console him.

“Yeah, well. I'm not a soldier anymore. Those rules don't seem like much of an excuse now. Anyway... I don't know why we're here. Thought maybe it'd help me see things better. I'd like to stay here for the night. Think some things over.”

Ker looked around. It wasn’t the best place to camp. It was pretty exposed but Boone wanted to stay here. Ker sighed and started gathering firewood.

It was after midnight but Ker couldn’t sleep, she felt too exposed in their current campsite. She was also worried about her partner. Ker was lying back in the dirt, watching the shooting stars and chewing on some leftover dinner when she heard Boone stand up suddenly. At first she thought nothing of it; simply nature calling. Then she heard him draw his rifle. Ker was on her feet, standing beside him in a second.

“There.” Boone said looking down his scope. “Group coming our way. Looks like a Legion raiding party. It's big. Might be too big. Even for us. If you want out I won't blame you. But I'm going to stay. See if I can hold them off.”

“At least it saves us the trouble of finding them.” Ker smirked.

“Ha! If only it was this easy all the time.”

“What are we waiting for?”

“Tell the truth... I think this is exactly what I've been waiting for.”

_Assessing situation. No high vantage points. No long lines of sight. Quickly advancing Legion. Move out in front; cover the mouth of the canyon._

Ker ran full out to get to the mouth of the canyon with Boone right behind her. He took up a position deeper in the canyon while Ker stayed toward the mouth. He started shooting practically over her shoulder. Ker drew dual pistols. The legionaries weren’t likely expecting much in resistance, they charged toward the mouth of the canyon, giving both defenders clear shots. Ker emptied her guns into mongrels and men then dropped the offhand pistol to reload the other. Just as she finished reloading she heard running from behind.

“More legionaries from behind!” Boone shouted, leaving his relative cover to get closer to Ker.

“Shit!” Ker charged at the closest legionary toward the mouth of the canyon. As she got further out she saw there were more legionaries then she had expected. And they were smart. Half were in cover. The other half started advancing on the canyon using cover. Ker intercepted the one leading the charge. Two bullets slowed him down and a knife strike killed him. She charged to the next legionary. As she killed him, Ker saw the other legionaries break cover and charge forward.

“What the…?” Ker started. She glanced over her shoulder to see Boone charging toward her; he must have been overwhelmed. Ker could keep pushing forward or go back and cover Boone. In the split second it took her to decide, a legionary circled past her and rushed the sniper. Boone’s rifle sounded but the others had the same idea; the sniper was the bigger threat. Ker slid to a stop and charged back toward Boone. A legionary reached him first. Boone managed to block the first strike using his rifle. Ker charged and tackled the legionary to the ground before he could make a second attack. She slit his throat before getting to her feet. They were surrounded: eight legionaries circled around them with machetes and other bladed weapons drawn. Ker and Boone were back to back in the middle.

“It’s our lucky day!” One of the veteran legionaries began. “We came to gather a few slaves and instead found a First Recon sniper to take home with us.”

“Die! You bastard!” Ker heard Boone and immediately knew he’d go for the shot. But at this range she would bet the veteran legionary could slip by the rifle barrel. She turned in time to catch his incoming machete on her knife as Boone repositioned and shot the veteran at point blank range. Ker got her Pip-Boy up in time to block the strike she was expecting to follow from another legionary.

Seven legionaries. Ker could deal with that; mainly since legionaries always underestimated her. But could she keep Boone safe while she did it? Ker managed to disarm a legionary and shoot another in the face. Six. She had little choice; she pushed Boone out of the circle in the direction of the legionary she had shot. When another went for the killing blow on the unstable Boone, Ker emptied the last three bullets in her clip into him then dropped the pistol. Five. The searing pain high on her back indicated to Ker she had been stabbed. Using the knowledge of where the legionary’s hand was, since he was likely still gripping the knife, Ker spun quickly and gutted him. Four. Ker heard a rifle shot. Three. Ker staggered back to avoid a high swipe with a machete. As she staggered she was tackled to the ground. Rifle shot. Two. Ker saw the switchblade come down. Knowing she couldn’t beat the legionary in a battle of strength, she redirected the blade. He countered and the blade came down below her right collarbone. She pinned the blade in place with her empty hand and stabbed her knife into the side of the legionary’s neck. One. Ker used all the strength she could muster to heave the dying legionary off her. She needed to get up. There was still one left. She wrenched the knife out of her right shoulder, then she pulled herself to her feet.

“Boone!” Ker called. Things were getting blurry and the features of the desert were hard to make out.

“K-!“ The strangled noise came from her left. She turned to see Boone struggling against a very familiar chokehold; his rifle was in the dirt beside his feet. Ker cursed silently to herself. There were still **more** legionaries. Around Boone were four legionaries and a centurion. The legionary who had Boone adjusted his grip to expose Boone’s neck. The centurion raised his machete and rested the edge of the blade against Boone’s throat.

“That’s quite enough of that. Drop the knife.” The centurion began in a silky smooth voice. Ker stopped. She couldn’t cover the distance fast enough. She looked into Boone’s eyes. She knew what he’d say if he could: “Forget about me. Kill them.” She dropped the knife. “I wasn’t aware this camp had such capable defenders. As it stands, you’ve killed my entire century save these four. I must say, your fighting style intrigues me. Hmm…”

“Sir! She’s the courier!” One of the legionaries provided.

“The courier? Ah and the washed up sniper. Yes, that makes sense. As much as I would like to take you **both** back with me, I believe you have proven your effectiveness.” The centurion lowered his machete from Boone’s neck and placed it back on his belt. He nodded to another legionary who took his own machete and placed it against Boone’s throat. “If she moves even an inch, kill him.” He ordered his subordinate then returned his attention to the courier. “Caesar has decreed that you are both to die; by any means necessary.” The centurion reached down to Boone’s 9mm pistol and removed it from its holster. Boone tried to struggle against the legionary who held him to no avail. The centurion aimed at the courier. “Any last words?”

_Sacrifice the sniper. Make your move._

“Liberty or death.” Ker spat at the centurion with a sadistic smile.

“Goodbye courier.” The centurion pulled the trigger three times before Ker collapsed.

“Ker!” Boone managed to choke out as he almost broke free from the legionary. The centurion turned and pistol whipped Boone, dazing him.

“A Ker?” The centurion laughed. “That’s just perfect! Caspian, bring her head.” A chorus of gunfire broke out in the night. “Dammit! We don’t have the numbers anymore. Let’s go!”

Ker lay in the dirt, staring up at the shooting stars and listening to the retreating legionaries. She took stock of her injuries: stab wounds; high front right shoulder and low back left shoulder, gunshot wounds; right lung and right side. She was grateful the centurion was a shit shot. When she could no longer hear the legionaries she tried to sit up. When she failed at that, she rolled over and pushed herself up.

“She’s still alive!” Ker heard when she finally got seated. She heard running and franticly searched for her knife. “Easy, miss! I’m NCR!” Ker blinked blurry eyes to focus on the NCR medic standing over her. Behind him, two more soldiers were running to join him.

“Super Stimpak, Med-x, Hydra and Buffout.” Ker listed off. “And Steady if you have it.”

“What?” The medic asked in confusion.

“Give them to me.” Ker urged.

“You can’t take all those chems at once! It’ll kill you!” The medic protested. The other two soldiers arrived, a male and a female.

“The Legion just took my partner.” Ker spat. “Are **you** going to go after him?! He’s one of yours after all; a First Recon sniper.” Ker asked.

The soldiers shifted uncomfortably. “We couldn’t even defend this place. We don’t have the troops for a rescue mission.” The female soldier said sadly.

“Then give me what I asked for so I can go after him!”

“Captain?” The medic asked hesitantly.

“We might be able to scrounge together those chems from the refugees here.  But taking all that at once could give you a heart attack.” The woman said.

“I know.” Ker said plainly.

“Alright. Markland, patch her up as best you can. Brix, let’s see what we can find.”

Markland demanded to remove the bullets before he patched her up and Ker couldn’t really argue. Eventually the captain returned.

“One Super Stimpak and two doses of Med-X care of the NCR. Buffout, Hydra and Steady care of the refugees.” The captain laid out the drugs before Ker. While she waited for the stim Markland applied to finish, she downed the Buffout and Hydra. When the stim finished, he applied one of the doses of Med-X. Ker quickly stowed the other dose of Med-x and the Steady. With the pain numbed, her shoulder working properly and her body running in overdrive, Ker pulled herself to her feet.

“I can’t believe you can still stand.” The captain whispered as she held out Ker’s pistols to her.

“I have no choice. I made a promise and I intent to keep it.” Ker explained as she reloaded and stowed her weapons. She also grabbed Boone’s rifle and hung it over her shoulder beside her own.

“Good luck!” Ker heard as she started following the trail south.


	13. Hate

# Chapter 13: Hate

 

Boone faded in and out of consciousness for the first few hours of the trip. Even dazed, he’d struggled to try to get free after the centurion pistol whipped him. Eventually the legionary restraining him got sick of it and knocked him out. Now he was being dragged through the desert, one legionary had each of his ankles and he was staring at the early morning sky. His hands were over his head and bound very tightly together with rope.

Ker was dead; all because of him. He should have expected this. He’d begun to think of her as his friend. That got her involved in his fate. Boone had gotten complacent. Ker had seemed capable and was determined to protect him. After everything she’d survived, he was starting to think she just might manage it. But it was only a matter of time. And now, after watching his friend be murdered before his eyes, he was at the mercy of the Legion.

In order to ease some of the pain from being dragged, he pulled his arms down from dragging above his head and lifted his head to get a better view of his captors.

“Don’t even think about it, profligate.” One of the two holding his ankles said quickly without turning around. “Atticus wants you alive when we present you to Caesar, but that doesn’t guarantee your good health.” The legionary said with amusement. “Will you walk or would you rather we keep dragging you?”

“Is he awake, Caspian?” Boone heard from beyond the two at his feet.

“Yes, sir.” Said the one who had spoken first.

“Get him on his feet.” Caspian and the other legionary dropped his feet, and then Caspian grabbed the ropes around Boone’s wrist and hauled him to his feet. Boone immediately tried to grab Caspian’s machete.

“By Mars, are you stupid?” Caspian said as he deftly evaded Boone and delivered an uppercut to Boone’s gut, knocking the wind out of him.

The centurion approached and grabbed the collar of Boone’s shirt, pulling him upright. Boone spat in his face. The centurion merely smiled as he wiped his face with his hand. “You and that **bitch** killed seventy six of my men. I wish we could have taken the bitch alive. At least we could have had some **fun** with her. Instead we get **you**. Tell me, **Craig** , what broke you?” The centurion knew his first name? Unexpected but not surprising. He’d seen the effectiveness of Legion spies. Boone met the hard eyes of the centurion but said nothing. “Was it when I took your **wife** or when **you killed her**?”

Boone’s face paled at the revelation. “You…” He began, but had no more words.

The centurion threw his head back and laughed. “Oh yes. It **was** me. The frumentarii made the deal and I picked up the **cargo** : one pregnant, blond whore. She didn’t even put up much of a fight; kept saying ‘ **Craig** will save us’. I guess you didn’t have the guts to try. You took the easy way out. How did it feel, killing your wife and **child** in one shot?”

“I’ll kill you! You bastard!” Boone lunged for the centurion only to be grabbed roughly by two legionaries.

The centurion and the other legionaries laughed. “Oh this is so much more fun than dealing with a stoic soldier. It didn’t take much to piece it together; we took a retired First Recon sniper’s wife and now a retired First Recon sniper is killing legionaries. You sure got over it quickly though. Traveling with another woman?” The centurion stopped to think. “I guess that makes **two** women you couldn’t protect.”

Boone was livid. This was the man who took **everything** from him. And here he was, less then a foot away from him and Boone could do **nothing**. He pulled against the two legionaries who had his shoulders to no avail. He struggled against the ropes on his wrist, knowing the more he struggled, the deeper the ropes cut.

“Oh!” The centurion said happily. “Maybe they’ll let you fight me in the arena!”

“Doubtful, Atticus.” A veteran legionary said from behind the centurion. “Caesar will want to demoralize the NCR by hanging the sniper on a cross somewhere all the profligates can see.”

“I suppose you’re right.” Atticus sighed. “Pity. I’d like to see just how much it would take to put out that fire in your eyes, **Craig**.”

“Dammit, Atticus.” Caspian sighed as he held fast on his struggling captive. “You should have waited until **after** we crossed the river to tell him. How are we supposed to get him to Caesar **alive** if he won’t stop struggling?”

“Pain is an excellent tool.” Atticus smiled wide. “Should we break something or cut somewhere?”

“I don’t care.” Said the veteran legionary. “But I am **not** carrying him.”

“Aww, you’re no fun, Markus!” Caspian laughed. “He’s a sniper right? Let’s gouge out his eyes!”

“Oh! I like that!” Atticus said happily. “But he could bleed to death before we get back.”

“Just one eye then? The scope eye?” Caspian tried again.

“Or crush the rifle hand.” The other legionary holding Boone offered.

“I think I want the eye.” Atticus said as he drew a switchblade. “Just one. The scope eye guarantees he’ll never shoot a rifle again. But I still wanna see that fire burning when he looks at me.” The centurion said wistfully. “Drop him, Caspian.” Caspian knocked Boone’s feet out from under him and forced him down on his knees.

This was it. The beginning of everything he deserved. He’d known it wouldn’t be pleasant, but he hadn’t been expecting this. Of all the ways he could get his dues, dying slowly at the hands of the man who took his wife was probably the worst. Boone struggled, though he didn’t know why he bothered anymore. Five men could easily overpower him. All he was doing was making his wrists bleed. Caspian had a firm hold on him from behind when the centurion knelt in front of him.

“Please keep struggling. It makes this **so** much more enjoyable if you stay conscious.” Atticus laughed as he raised the knife level with Boone’s eye.

Boone felt the sickly spray of liquid on the back of his head and neck a full second before he heard the shot. The centurion immediately forced Boone to the ground and dove for cover nearby.

“What the fuck?! Another sniper?!” Markus shouted from his cover behind a rock.

Boone didn’t know who it was but based on the evidence, he had a pretty good idea where they were. Caspian’s body had fallen to his right, meaning the sniper was to his left. The rifle sound took over a second to reach him from where the sniper was, so they were likely beyond 1000 yards out. To be over a 1000 yards out and have a clear shot at the legionary who had been holding him meant the sniper was likely on the high ridge directly to his left. He made sure not to look that way.

Boone considered making a break for it, but the centurion was still within arm’s reach of him. Boone wouldn’t be able to get to his feet fast enough with his hands tied.

“They’re here for the sniper but how did they get here so fast?!” Markus yelled. “Reinforcement to Bitter Springs should have taken **days**!”

“Enough, Markus. It has to be one sniper or they would have killed more than just Caspian.”

It was only a matter of time before the legionaries thought to threaten Boone’s life again to keep the sniper off of them. Boone had to go. Now! As fast as he was able, Boone shoved himself to his feet.

“Shit!” He heard from behind him as he got to his feet.  Another rifle shot and a thump of a dead body told him someone had moved to follow him, and failed. The centurion had another idea though. In a lightning fast move the centurion struck out with the switchblade still in his hand and drove it into Boone’s calf. Boone stumbled but managed a few steps before he fell to his hands and knees.

“Running away **again** , **Craig**?” The centurion laughed from behind him.

Boone knew it was meant to goad him into turning around and going back toward the legionaries. He knew it was bait, but it was bait he couldn’t resist. He couldn’t let the centurion live. He pulled the knife out of his calf and started cutting his hands free.

“Didimus! Go!” The centurion shouted and one of the legionaries broke cover to get to Boone. The shot was slow coming and hit the legionary in the chest this time. The centurion and the veteran legionary used their subordinate’s distraction to leave their own cover and go for Boone. Boone managed to get to his feet with his hands free just as the centurion reached him.

Ker lay prone on the ridge 1200 yards north of Boone’s location. She looked down the scope and tried to find a clear shot on one of the two remaining targets, but things were getting blurry. She could barely keep her head up to even look down the scope. It had been hours since she’d left Bitter Springs. The Hydra and Buffout were wearing off fast leaving her feeling stiff and sluggish; especially her right arm. She could barely keep a grip on her rifle. The Super Stimpak had also run its course but due to how much strain she put on her body and how every movement pulled at the wounds, it had only been minimally effective. Thankfully she’d had the second dose of Med-x so she wasn’t in pain yet. The worst problem was the Steady hadn’t lasted nearly as long as she had hoped. Now her aim was swaying as the centurion chased down Boone. It was two against one down there and Ker didn’t trust her aim. It didn’t help that the legionaries kept Boone between her and them. Ker had to make a call; take a shot or try to reach Boone. She knew she couldn’t get to him fast enough. Summoning the dregs of energy she had left, she held the rifle tightly and focused down the scope.

Boone knew he stood no chance against a centurion and a veteran when he had nothing but the switchblade. Everything else had been stripped from him and he’d lost track of his pack while he was unconscious. He needed to give his sniper a clear shot. Boone tried to keep his distance from the legionaries while he tried to maneuver to clear a line of sight. Inspiration struck Boone as he remembered killing Driver Nephi. He hadn’t had a clear shot, until Ker had stumbled and fallen. He’d be at a serious disadvantage on the ground, but it might give his sniper a clear shot. Boone dove into the dirt behind him and heard the rifle crack a moment later. He rolled over just in time to see the centurion pouncing on him. Dropping the switchblade, he got his hands up in time to stop the machete from coming down. Four hands wrestled for the machete while the centurion stayed as close to Boone as possible.

“I should have just killed you!” The centurion howled.

“Yeah, you should’ve.” Boone agreed as he started losing the battle of strength. “Even if you do kill me, you’ll die here.” His sniper would see to that. That was at least a small comfort. Boone tried to think of what Ker would do in this situation. She wasn’t very strong but she always had a trick up her sleeve to use the enemy’s strength against them. Boone shoved the machete to the left hard and pulled it toward the ground. The centurion lost his balance enough for Boone to grab his discarded switchblade and drive it into the centurion’s kidney. The centurion reared back and howled in pain. As he did, a bullet caught the shoulder of his armour and spun him off Boone and onto the ground beside him. Boone quickly got to his feet, but so did the centurion. The centurion charged Boone with his machete, but it was an attack Boone had **seen** before. Ker had been teaching him an easy counter to it. Compared to her, the centurion was slow. He pivoted out of the way and deflected the centurion’s wrist with his free hand. Then he drove his switchblade into the centurion’s eye. The centurion staggered back a few steps before collapsing. Boone approached carefully, only to find the centurion was **still** alive.

“Heh…” The centurion quietly laughed. “I still… took **both**... your-“ Boone didn’t let him finish and drove his switchblade into the centurion’s other eye. After that, Boone wasn’t sure how many times he stabbed the centurion. He kept going until he was exhausted and his shoulders ached. He finally stopped and looked down at his bloody hands and clothes. **He** should be the one who died here. This was finally supposed to settle his debt. It would have been almost poetic; dying in defense of the town he helped massacre. But someone saved him. Who was his sniper? Had a soldier from Bitter Springs come after him? Boone couldn’t bring himself to care anymore. The only thing that mattered was he had gotten more revenge; for Carla, for the baby… for Ker. He collapsed on the ground beside the centurion in exhaustion. As he lay there, staring up at the morning sky among the corpses of the Legion, he couldn’t stop the tears.

Boone lay in the dirt until the comfortable emotional numbness returned before he forced himself up. Where was his sniper? They should have come down to check their kills by now. Boone carefully got to his feet and looted what few supplies he could off the legionaries. Then he slowly limped north toward where he thought the sniper had been shooting from.

It took a while but Boone finally reached the ridge and started searching for his savior. After a few minutes he spotted a prone shape with a rifle and carefully approached it.

“Hello?” He tried, not wanting to surprise the sniper while they were looking down the scope. He got no response so he got closer. The duster should have given her away, but Boone thought he had seen her die. The first thought that came to his mind was that a veteran ranger was his saviour but he’d never seen a veteran ranger that **small**. Could it be…?

“Ker?” He tried again as he got close. The sniper didn’t move. Boone noticed their head was bowed beside their rifle as if they’d fallen asleep while shooting. The closer he got the more sure he was that the sniper was his partner. But something was wrong; she was deathly still. He didn’t even think he’d seen her breath. Did that mean…?

“Ker!” Boone staggered as he ran the last few yards to his partner. He got to her and knelt beside her, placing a hand on her closest shoulder. He noticed her shoulder was cold, wet and sticky. He pulled his hand back and saw the dark blood. He looked closer at the duster and was able to make out several large bloodstains hidden by the dark fabric. Boone tried to swallow away the lump in his throat as he reached out and rolled Ker over. When he rolled her over he saw her face was pale and covered in dirt and blood. Her shirt was torn in several places under her duster and also soaked in blood. Boone reached out an unsteady hand to check for a pulse. He was starting to think she was dead when he finally felt it. It was weak but it was there.

Boone looked around the area and found two packs, **his** and hers, as well as his rifle. He needed to get Ker somewhere safe but with his wounded leg he wouldn’t be able to carry her far. Carefully, he checked the Pip-Boy on her wrist. After a fair bit of fiddling he brought up the map and found there was an old camping site nearby. Boone gathered up all the supplies and then knelt to gently pick up Ker. He ignored the pain in his leg and set off for the camp.

He headed northwest with both packs, both rifles and Ker in his arms. He tried not to limp, knowing the jostling would be bad for Ker. He didn’t know the extent of her injuries but he could feel her cool blood trickling down his arms. He glanced down at her. Her head was rested against his shoulder and there was a trickle of blood from the corner of her mouth. He noticed something surprising then; there were tear stains in the dirt on her face.

There wasn’t much at the camping site, just a bunch of old burnt out trailers. But there was one old building. Boone had to put Ker down to scout the building. Inside wasn’t much, it was a small store/ reception area for the camping site. There was a big counter, a desk and chair, a couch and empty shelves. There was also a large bathroom almost as big as the main room. Boone picked up Ker and took her inside where he laid her gently on the couch. Carefully, he removed her bloody duster and cut off the unsalvageable shirt, leaving her in just her bloodstained bra. He saw three wounds on her front and one on her back. They all had stitches in them but the stitches had long since pulled free. Boone emptied both packs onto the floor beside him and took stock of their supplies. Each of them carried a basic, military issue med kit. They also had a few Stimpaks, a small supply of purified water and some alcohol. Boone set to work using his first aid training. It took him a while to clean and stitch all the wounds. He could only guess the cause of each and hoped the bullets had already been removed from any gunshots wounds by whoever first stitched the wounds. He finished by applying a Stimpak near the worst of the wounds.

Ker was lying on her stomach while Boone cleaned the blood off her back. He finished and wiped his hands clean. His eyes fell on the scars on Ker’s back. He gently ran his fingers over a few of the heavy vertical scars. _From a whip. Flogging most likely._ Arcade had said. “Legion torture…” He whispered to himself.  There was also a clean white line that ran from her right shoulder to left hip. “The fight with Vulpes…” He then found the bullet scar high on her left shoulder. “The Legion ambush…” There was another bullet scar on her right side. “Bait for Nephi…” Lastly, he ran his fingers over a wide scar between her ribs on her right side. Boone swallowed hard. “Me.”

She’d risked her life to save him more times than he could count. And yet on the Strip, he’d been ready to take his own life. Then in Bitter Springs he’d charged into the fray **hoping** they were outmatched. And then, as he knelt before the centurion who had taken his wife, he’d given up.

It seems that he was willing to die for anything lately. But his partner, she fought to live through **everything**. He could only imagine the things she’d lived through, the suffering she’d endured. He gently ran his fingers over some of the scars he didn’t know the cause of on her arm. _Were these caused by Carter?_ He wondered sadly. Her father; her **partner**. How many of these scars were caused by her first partner? How many gained by helping her first partner? And now…

“The fight with Vulpes, the Legion ambush, bait for Nephi and Bitter Springs.” He whispered. All gained for him. “The vault.” He choked out. Caused by him. Here he was, condemning Carter for using his daughter as a weapon, when he was doing the same. He’d become no better than that bastard. He had to do better, to be better. She was determined to put herself between him and his fate; to risk her own life to save his. But they were partners; if that was how she wanted it, then it was up to him to do the same. She’d protect him, and he’d protect her; the way it should have been since the beginning.

Boone caught himself smiling at that thought. He hadn’t smiled in a **long** time. Ker rarely smiled either. There were lots of grins and smirks but few genuine smiles. And he’d never heard her laugh, at least not happily. When she woke up, he’d be a **better** partner. **If** she woke up… No. **When** she woke up.

Once he’d done all he could for Ker, he went about tending the stab wound on his leg.

It was around midnight when Boone was pulled out of a fitful sleep by a pained whine. He was leaning against the couch while sitting on the floor. He turned to see Ker was sweating profusely and throwing her head from side to side while mumbling. She was highly agitated; every muscle tensed as she jerked violently. Boone put a hand on each of her shoulders to try and keep her still.

“Ker.” He said calmly and quietly. “You need to settle down.” He doubted she could hear him but it was worth a shot. “Calm down. You’re safe. I got your back.” Ker calmed down a bit, slowly. She stopped jerking violently but remained tensed. Boone took the small victory. He applied the second Stimpak to Ker’s chest and took up his vigil again.

Ker woke to pain; pain in her chest, pain in her right side and pain in her back. She felt stiff and heavy. She was on the ridge. She must have passed out. But Boone was…

“Boone…” She groaned and tried to sit up.

“Woah! Stop!” The male voice ordered as Ker felt heavy, gentle hands on her shoulders. She could feel the strength in those hand, she doubted she could fight it in state she was in now. But Boone… if he was still alive, he needed her. Working her stiff and heavy arms she tried to counter grab the hands on her shoulders. “Ker, stop! Calm down.”

The hands stayed firm on her shoulders. She’d only managed to get her own hands up to her shoulders before she was tired again. She couldn’t fight them.

“Ker, can you open your eyes?”

Right. Her **eyes**. She needed to know where she was; to find out where she had to go to catch the legionaries who took Boone.

She opened her eyes and saw a familiar face and beret. “Boone…?” Ker asked.

“Yeah.”

“The Legion!” Ker tried to sit up again.

“They’re dead.” Boone quickly added. “You killed them.”

Relief flooded Ker’s system and she felt all the tension leave her body. “Then you’re safe.” She whispered with a contented smile.

“Thanks to you.”

“I have a promise to keep.” Ker slurred tiredly as she closed her eyes.

“No, no, no. Stay with me. You’ve been out for two days. Just eat and drink a little and then you can get some more sleep.”

Ker nodded and felt the warm hands on her bare shoulder shift to help her sit up. She gritted her teeth against the pain but was breathing heavily by the time she got seated.

“I know you’re in pain but we don’t have any Med-X.” Boone said.

“Can’t.” Ker shook her head just a bit. “Too much already.”

“That’s how you did it then? Med-X?” Boone asked curiously. Her injuries were so severe he was surprised she could stand, let alone trail him through the desert for hours.

“And Hydra, Buffout and Steady.”

“Together?!” Boone asked in surprise. She took a major risk taking that many chems together. Ker just made a sound of acknowledgement. “That was stupid.” He said sternly.

“If it’s stupid and it works, it’s not stupid.” Ker argued.

Boone sighed. “You shouldn’t have risked your life like that.”

“It’s my life to risk.”

“You should have just killed them in Bitter Springs.”

“I wasn't going to let you die.” Ker smirked.

“It's a hell of a thing having someone with your ability looking out for me.” Boone said looking Ker in the eye as he knelt in front of her. “But I’ve come to believe that there are things nobody can stop. I thought for sure that's what we'd finally come up against. I figured whatever we could handle, **this** time the Legion was going to send more.” Boone sighed and sat on the couch beside her.” I should've died in Bitter Springs a long time ago. When I spotted the legionaries I thought I understood. Things were finally going to even out.” Boone dropped his head into his hands. “But I'm still alive.”

“I’m not good at…” Ker said as she tiredly sifted through her thoughts. “We can’t change the past.” She sighed. “But we **can** learn from it. And maybe, just maybe, we can use that knowledge to change the future.”

Boone looked over at Ker. “I guess we saved Bitter Spring. One less Legion raiding party running loose now. Never a bad thing, you can take my word for that.” Boone said with a hint of optimism. “Still feels like I'm living on borrowed time.”

“Then you better make the most of it.”

“You got a point. There's still some things I can do before all this is over.” Ker’s head started to bob. “Shit. Here. Drink.” Boone handed Ker his canteen and Ker did as she was told. She managed to drink and eat a little before she started to drift off again. Boone helped her lay back down and she fell asleep in an instant.

Ker woke again that evening. Boone helped her sit up and she ate and drank again.

“Why do you do it?” Boone asked suddenly.

“Hmm? Do what?”

“I’ve known you for only a few months, but in that time you’ve been shot, stabbed, beaten, cut and nearly killed a dozen times. Not to mention surviving being crucified and a bullet to the head. Yet every time you get up and shrug it off.”

“Life is pain, and life is suffering, and life is horror. As long as I’ve lived, this has always been true.” Ker smiled sadly. “As long as I choose life, I choose suffering and I’m not…” Ker trailed off.

“You’re not what?”

Ker shook her head then looked at Boone. She sighed. “I’m not allowed to die.”

“Your father?”

Ker nodded.

“Life doesn’t **have** to be suffering. Isn’t there anything you enjoy about life?”

“I enjoy traveling with you. I can speak freely and make my own choices.”

“It’s because of me you almost died in Bitter Springs.”

“And that was a choice **I** made.” Ker snickered. “You should have heard my father howling when I made that choice. Tactically I should have ‘sacrificed the sniper and made my move.’”

“Why didn’t you?”

“You have to ask?”

“You made a promise?”

“More than that!” Ker said sternly. “Aren’t you listening? I said I **enjoy** traveling with you.” Ker sighed. “Do you still think you have bad things coming to you?”

“Yes.”

“Then there’s another reason I want to travel with you; to put myself between you and Fate.”

“That will just get you killed.” Boone thought for a second. “Are you **trying** to get yourself killed?”

Ker considered her response “Maybe.” She answered solemnly. “Maybe I’m looking for the biggest bad out here to finally put me out of my misery; something that can kill me **despite** my best efforts. That shouldn’t bother **you**. Aren’t you looking for the same thing from the Legion?”

“I was.”

“Was?” Ker asked with an eyebrow raised.

“Not anymore.”

“No?”

“Think I can keep killing the Legion without dying. Long as I have my partner.”

“Well, **I** have no intention of dying anytime soon. Guess that means you’ll be sticking around for a while too?”

“Guess so.”

The next morning, Ker was resting comfortably on one end of the couch while Boone had her rifle disassembled on the desk. “We should go back to Bitter Springs.” She said.

“Why?” Boone asked looking up from his work.

“Well, they probably think we’re dead or worse. It’s always nice to prove people wrong. Also, it’s the closest place to get any supplies and we’re almost out. My Pip-Boy says it’s only two hours from here. That is, if you’re alright with it.”

“You’re right.” Boone agreed. “We’ll go.”

“Okay!” Ker shifted to stand up.

“Stop.” Boone ordered.

“Why? Bitter Springs isn’t far. It’ll be an easy trip. Besides, did you have any supplies to properly treat that leg?”

Boone looked down at his leg. He hadn’t mentioned it to her. She must have seen it happen. “Can you even walk?” He countered.

“Probably.” Ker grinned and stood carefully. “Can you?”

They took the trip back to Bitter Springs slow; resting often.

“Boone…?” Ker began hesitantly, after a while.

“What is it?”

“Was I too late?” Ker asked quietly. “Did that centurion do something to you?”

“What?” Boone asked in surprise. There was no way she could know.

“Well, after you killed him, you kind of… kept… killing him.” Ker said vaguely. “That was revenge if I’ve ever seen it.” She added sadly.

Boone sighed. “Yeah, about a year too late.”

“A year?” Ker said confused. “Oh. Oh! I’m sorry.” Ker said quickly, realizing Carla had been gone for about a year.

“Don’t be. You did nothing wrong. Got there just in time. Nice shot by the way. He must’ve been less than a foot from me.”

“Do **not** make me do that again!” Ker said sternly. “I had to use Steady. Steady! What kind of sniper has to rely on **Steady** to make a 1200 yard shot?!”

“The kind that’s bleeding from at least four different wounds?” Boone supplied quickly.

“Excuses!”

“Reality.” Ker snorted at that. “Either way, that charge we were working on?”

“Yeah?”

“The centurion used it.”

“Yes!” Ker said happily. “They love that one! Makes a follow up decapitation blow easy! And you were prepared for it!”

“I was. Thanks to you.”

When they arrived at Bitter Springs, around noon, a crowd of civilians and soldiers came out to greet them.

“If I didn’t see it with my own eyes, I would have never believed it.” The female captain said as they approached. “I can’t believe-“ The captain cut herself off when they got close. “Sergeant Boone.” She said instead with a hard swallow.

“ **Captain** Gilles.” Boone said harshly.

“When your friend said her First Recon partner was taken I didn’t think…” Gilles hesitated. “Are you two alright?”

“She needs medical attention.” Boone said bluntly.

“You two know each other?” Ker asked, suddenly feeling tired.

“Yes.” Boone replied quickly.

“Ah, well. She got me the drugs I needed to chase after you.” Ker said, trying to shake her head clear.

“It was the least we could do. You two took on a whole century alone to defend Bitter Springs.”

Ker was going to respond casually with a smartass remark but things started to get dark and it sounded like things were getting further away. “Boone…?” She said with a shake of her head just before she lost her balance.

“Ker!”

Ker knew she started to fall, but instead of hitting the ground, she fell into something soft, yet unyielding. “Tired…” She managed to say before she passed out.

Boone saw Ker shake her head a few times and knew something was wrong. When she said his name he could hear it in her voice. He moved fast and caught her against him before she collapsed. He heard her slur something, and then she went limp in his arms.

“Shit!” Boone said loudly, as he lifted her into his arms again.

“The infirmary is over here!” Gilles called and lead the way. Boone followed her to one of the big tents where he was met by a young doctor.

“What happened?” He asked as Boone rushed by him and gently laid Ker on a cot. Boone quickly explained what he had done so far to treat her and the doctor set to work checking her out. Boone sat on a cot nearby, keeping a close eye on his partner. Surprisingly, Captain Gilles stayed in the infirmary with them. Boone had figured she would want to get out of his sights as fast as possible.

“That’s one determined woman.” Gilles said. Boone assumed she must be talking to him. He didn’t really feel like striking up a conversation with his old commanding officer. So he merely grunted. Gilles looked over at him. “You don’t look much worse for wear. I take it she got to you in time?”

“Yes.” Boone answered succinctly.

“We’d heard rumours about a courier and retired First Recon sniper who were fighting the Legion. Don’t know who I suspected; but it wasn’t you.”

Boone gritted his teeth to keep himself from saying what he was thinking. At the moment, Captain Gilles was the commanding officer here. Ker would only get medical attention if Gilles approved it. He didn’t want to put that at risk by getting into a fight with the captain so he stayed silent. Gilles eventually got the message and they waited in silence.

Finally the doctor came over. “It looks like there’s minor infection starting in one of the wounds. The antibiotics in the stim I gave her should counter that as well as help her recover. Her blood pressure is very low, likely from blood loss. She probably passed out due to overexertion. She’ll need a few days of rest to replenish the lost blood.”

“Well, we don’t have much here, but you’re welcome to stay if you’d like.” Gilles offered.

“Don’t have much choice.” Boone grunted.


	14. Ker

# Chapter 14: Ker

 

Ker whirled and danced as she slaughtered the Legion around her. She killed a legionary with a thrust between his ribs only to clear a line of sight to her previous hide. And there he was, her partner, scaling the cliff. He was almost at the top when she called out to him.

“Father!” She saw him reach the top. “Father!” She cried as he disappeared from sight without looking back. Her distraction was all the legionaries needed. Several rushed her at once disarming her and restraining her. Still, she fought.

“Ker!” She thought she heard a familiar voice.

She managed a few solid impacts with her fists as she struggled.

“Ker!”

Ker sat up in bed quickly and looked around with wild eyes.

“Ker. You were dreaming. You’re in Bitter Springs.”

Ker looked around at the unfamiliar tent before letting her eyes fall on the speaker with the familiar voice; a large man, very well built and handsome even. He wore a red beret but not the sunglasses she expected. “Boone.” She sighed.

“You were shouting in your sleep.” Boone said, removing his warm hand from her shoulder.

“Judging by my dream, I’m guessing I was calling out for my father.” She sighed again.

“Yeah.”

Ker pulled her legs in so she was sitting comfortably cross legged. Boone was sitting on the cot beside hers, looking at her worriedly. Beyond him, she could see the sun was still out. “How long?” She asked.

“Twenty-six hours.”

“What?! A whole day?” Ker shifted to stand up.

“Don’t even think about moving.” Boone said harshly. Ker looked up at him questioningly. “You almost died. You need more rest.”

“But we’re in Bitter Spring.” Ker said sadly.

“I know.”

“I… didn’t mean to leave you alone here.” Ker sighed.

“I know.”

Ker took a deep breath and sighed, then relaxed where she sat on the cot. “Anything interesting happen while I was out?”

“Not much.

“Did you get treated?” She asked in passing. Boone didn’t respond. “What?! Doctor!” She yelled.

The young doctor rushed in a few moments later. “You’re up!” He said happily. “What did you need?”

“He took a switchblade to the calf.” She said pointing accusingly at Boone.

“You did?” The doctor asked. Boone grumbled but let the doctor inspect the wound. Ker fell back onto the cot while the doctor applied a Stimpak to Boone’s leg. She was staring up at the tent above her with her hands behind her head when she heard the doctor leave and Boone come back over.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine or at least I will be.” Ker answered smugly as she sat back up.

“No more bullshit bravado.” Boone said shaking his head. Ker looked over to Boone, looking him straight in the eye. “I know you’re strong. I know you’re tough. But even you have limits.” Boone broke eye contact and sighed.  “You’ve seen me at my worst. Hell, I nearly killed you. I nearly killed myself. But you’ve had my back from the first moment we met.” Boone looked back up at Ker. “You **can** trust me. You **can** let your guard down around me.”

Ker suddenly looked very uncomfortable. She dropped her eyes to the cot she sat on and fidgeted nervously. “It’s not that I don’t trust you, Boone. It’s just…  I don’t know how.” Ker admitted quietly. “I’ve been on guard for **so** long.”

“I know.”

They sat quietly for a moment, neither quite sure what to say. Then they heard footsteps approaching the tent and both looked up to see Captain Gilles.

“Markland told me you were finally up. Glad to see you’re well on your way to recovery.” Gilles said happily as she entered the tent.

“I’ll go get you something to eat.” Boone said roughly as he stood up. He then stomped past Gilles and out of the tent.

Gilles let out the breath she was holding as he left. Ker wasn’t good at reading people, but even she could see Boone didn’t particularly like Gilles. “How **exactly** do you two know each other?” Ker asked from where she sat.

“He didn’t tell you?”

“He told me about what happened here. He never mentioned you.” Ker said carefully.

“I was…” Gilles began. She then sighed as she walked over to sit on the cot beside Ker’s. “I was the CO of First Recon during the incident.”

“Ahh. So, you gave the order?” Ker asked to be sure.

“Yes.”

Ker thought for a second. “No wonder Boone is pissed.”

“What are you two even doing here? I thought for sure I’d get a bullet in the back of the head before I ever saw **Boone** here again.”

“You think he’d kill you?” Ker asked.

“Boone took the incident hard; harder than anyone else in First Recon. I know the military offered consoling afterward but I know Boone never took it. I can honestly say he was a nice guy before. But after… I see time hasn’t done much to heal those old wounds. He’s still just as cold and detached as he was then.”

“If I thought for one second killing you would help Boone, I’d kill you in a heartbeat.” Ker saw Gilles swallow hard. “But I don’t think it will. Maybe I’m wrong. But he’s the one who wanted to come to Bitter Springs. I think he was hoping to die here.” Ker said thoughtfully.

“What?!” Gilles said in surprise.

“I think he’s past that now, though. I think…” Ker smiled to herself. “I think I helped.”

“If you did, then I just might owe you my life.” Gilles said shaking her head. “I guess I owe you that twice now.” Gilles paused. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure, dunno if I’ll answer though.”

“Before you left to track down Boone you said something about a promise.” Gilles asked warily.

“As long as he travels with me, I’ll die before I let them kill him.”

“That’s quite the dedication to a partner. I know First Recon partners form some strong bonds, but you two seem… different.”

“Different? How?” Ker asked confused.

“I don’t know. It’s just… the look on his face when you collapsed… Never mind, I suppose it’s not important.”

“No, I’m curious!” Ker pleaded.

“Most people would give anything to have another person look at them that way.”

“What do you…” Ker began slowly. What way had Boone looked at her? Unless… “Oh.” She finally understood what Gilles was referring to. Ker started to panic a little. “Oh! You think that Boone and I… No.” Ker settled down again. “There’s no way.”

“Why not?” Gilles asked innocently.

Ker sighed. “We’re both too broken.” Ker wasn’t ignorant. She knew about ‘the crows and the cazadors’. It had just always been her and her father. And after he left, she was alone. The closest interaction she had with eligible men was killing legionaries in melee. It had never even crossed her mind that she spent all her time with a buff, handsome man. Or that they spent all their time together, alone. Or even that ‘partners’ could mean something vastly different to other people. Apparently **other** people did think about that sort of thing. Did other people include Boone? No. Boone had had a family. He had been in love. He wasn’t looking for that… was he?

“Oh, that’s too bad.” Gilles said sadly. “You seem to make each other happy.” Ker just shrugged and shook her head. “Well, I better get going. I don’t think Boone will come back until I’m gone.” Gilles got up from the bed and walked toward the tent door. “My offer still stands. You’re welcome to stay as long as you like.” With that Gilles left Ker alone with her thoughts.

A few minutes later, Boone came back. Ker looked up at him and blushed. She quickly looked away. She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d blushed.

“What’s wrong?” Boone asked.

Ker wasn’t one to lie. She’d occasionally withhold the truth or refuse to answer a question, but she rarely lied. “Gilles was nice enough to point out something that is apparently obvious to everyone but me.”

“Oh?” Boone prompted with an angry glare.

Ker sighed loudly and flopped back on the cot. “You’re a man and I’m a woman.”

“Yeah, that’s pretty obvious.” Boone said, letting the anger slip from his voice and be replaced with humor.

Ker lifted her head to look at Boone and rolled her eyes before dropping her head back to the cot. “Apparently, Izzy isn’t the only one who thinks partners means more than **just** partners.”

“Ah.” Boone replied as he placed the items in his arms down on one of the tables. “Does that… bother you?

“No. The opinions of other people rarely matter to me. It’s just…” Ker stared at the tent above her intently.

“Just what?” Ker heard Boone sit on the cot beside hers.

“After my father left it was just me. I don’t think I saw a friendly face for years.”  Ker stared at the tent above her as she spoke. “Since I came west, I’ve met a **lot** of people; too many, probably. Most are just faces I’ll never see again. I never even thought to put time into getting to know someone until I met you.”

“Why was I different?”

“After you got your revenge, I asked you what you were going to do. Remember?”

“Yeah.”

“I didn’t need to ask. I knew exactly what you were going to do.” Ker sighed again. “It took four years of killing to sate **my** burning bloodlust. Four years alone in the desert, with only the hate to drive me on. It took me four, long years to make **my** decision; the same decision I knew **you** were struggling with. I wanted to help. For the first time since my father left, **I** **wanted** something other than revenge. So I **tried**.”

“I thought I’d failed when you took that drink.” Ker thought back. “But you came after me. I didn’t expect that. When I realized **you** wanted something other than revenge, it made me happy. When you said we were friends…” Ker paused. “I haven’t had a friend before. That’s when I realized I enjoyed traveling with you and that I would rather do something I enjoy than go east.”

“I’m happy with how things are; traveling together, helping each other. Personally? I don’t think I could ask for anything more.” Ker sighed happily, still staring up at the tent. “And I wouldn’t because I know how much you still love Carla.” Ker finally sat up and looked at Boone who sat on the other cot. “So let them talk. Let them speculate and assume. The only opinion that matters to me is yours.” Ker smiled at Boone then suddenly frowned, dropping her eyes from Boone’s to the ground. She shifted awkwardly before continuing.  “What about you? Were you expecting… more… when we started traveling together?”

“Ker, look at me.” Boone said sternly. Ker almost flinched at the anger in his voice but, after a moment of hesitation, she looked up at him. “I expected to die in Nelson.” Boone took a deep breath. “If I wanted **more** , I could go to the Strip and **pay** for it. That’s **not** why I’m here. I’m here because I enjoy traveling with my friend. I **know** she has my back against all odds and I trust her with my life. I will never do anything to jeopardize that trust.”

Ker smiled. “Well, at least now we know where we stand.” Ker shook herself briskly and shifted to the edge of the bed. “Let’s go for a walk.”

“What?”

“I wanna see this place in the daylight. Then I’ll get some rest.”

“Alright.”

Ker gingerly stood up and stretched carefully. She then walked over to the table and holstered her pistols and knives. She left her rifle and pack where they were beside Boone’s pack in the corner of the tent. She then headed for the tent door and stepped out into the bright afternoon sun with Boone close behind her. She had to shield her eyes against the sun for a moment.

Ker inspected the camp before her. It was in shambles. Where she stood were the three NCR tents. Beyond them everything was makeshift and thrown together. And there were a **lot** of people. Far more then she had guessed given the amount of sleeping space.

“What is this place?” Ker asked in confusion.

“It’s a refugee camp; for people fleeing the Legion.” Boone answered from beside her.

“Refugees make excellent bait.” Ker said absentmindedly.

“What?” Boone asked in surprise.

“They had no idea how lucky they were to be bait.”

“What do you mean?”

“There are always people fleeing west from the Legion. Occasionally, I’d run into a group. The Legion is damn good at dealing with refugees and the refugees rarely had the equipment or tactical sense to beat or evade the Legion. The Legion would **always** catch up with them. So I’d shadow the refugees; let them draw in small Legion slaver parties and just when the slavers thought they had the refugees, I’d step in.” Ker smiled viciously.

“You protected them?” Boone asked slightly surprised.

“I guess you could call it that.” Ker shrugged and started to walk toward the mouth of the canyon, through all the makeshift shelters. Lots of people turned and stared as they passed; a few stopped them to thank them. Boone stood close at Ker’s shoulder as they passed through the crowds. They had almost made it to the mouth of the canyon when Ker heard something she thought she recognized. She looked around curiously.

“What is it?” Boone asked.

“I could have sworn I heard something.” Ker said quietly.

This time, it was unmistakable. “Ker!” The cry was accompanied by a murmur through the crowd. Ker immediately turned toward the voice and Boone instinctively stepped in front of her. Eventually the source of the cry pushed his way through the crowd but stopped when he found his path blocked by the former NCR sniper.

“Uh… Sir. Is… is Ker with you?” The boy who was barely a teenager said worriedly as he stared up at Boone.

“What-“ Boone began.

“Move over, Boone!” Ker said from behind him as she tried to push him out of the way. Boone relented and stepped aside.

“I **told** them it was you!” The boy yelled happily and dove at Ker. He wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her with all his might.

“Careful.” Ker said with a grimace.

“Oh!” He eased up and looked up at her. “The soldiers told us a former soldier and a woman saved us from the Legion attack. But they said the soldier got grabbed by the Legion so the woman went after him. I **told** them there’s only **one** woman who would hunt down the Legion alone to save her friend but they didn’t believe me. They said you were dead. But I **knew** the Legion couldn’t kill you!” The boy hugged her again and buried his face in her stomach.

Boone looked at Ker in confusion. Ker just smirked back and then looked down at the boy.

“You were in Evander’s group.” Ker said softly.

“You remember!” The boy said happily.

“Of course I remember! Is anyone else here?” Ker asked carefully.

“Not everyone. The soldiers took away the little ones when we got here, Pax and Lucia left and Iovita died.” He said sadly. “But everyone else is here! Come on! They’ll all want to see you!” The boy took Ker’s hand and started pulling her through the crowd. Ker shrugged at Boone happily and let herself be pulled along. Boone followed close behind.

The boy lead Ker back toward the NCR tents then up an unmarked path that he apparently knew well. Just when she started to worry about how far from the camp they were getting, he spoke again. “Evander is inside with everyone else.” The boy said happily as he let go of Ker’s hand and indicated a small and very concealed cave entrance. The boy then ran into the cave shouting. “Evander!”

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” Boone asked as Ker examined the cave entrance.

“No, probably not.” Ker said with a big smile. “But they might.” She added as she slipped into the cave. It took Boone a bit more time. The entrance was a tight squeeze for him but he just made it. The boy and Ker were waiting inside.

“The soldier is coming too?” The boy asked. “Ev doesn’t really like soldiers… but I’m sure it’s okay if he’s with you.” The boy then ran off down the tunnel calling for Evander. Ker and Boone followed the echoing voice down the tunnel. The boy ran ahead but would impatiently wait for them to catch up before going further. After going fifty feet down a twisty tunnel, another voice finally replied to the boy.

“Severus! Will you calm down?!” The voice was stern but friendly at the same time. Ker and Boone rounded the last corner and came upon a large open cavern. A fire was burning in the middle of the cavern, lighting most of the large area. The fringes were lit by bioluminescent mushrooms. In several places around the cave were makeshift bedding and various odds and ends. Most of the cave’s residents were lounging around the fire. Some playing with old toys, some asleep. Including Severus, there were twelve people. The oldest was maybe fifteen.

The oldest boy looked up from a book in his hand that he was reading aloud by firelight and glared at the two strangers still standing in the dark tunnel. “What have you done Severus? This place is our **secret** hideout, remember?”

“I know Ev, but I found Ker!” Severus cried with joy as he got closer to the fire.

“Rus, I know you want to see Ker again but she stayed back east, remember? There’s no way she’d come to Bitter Springs.” Evander shook his head.

“The wasteland **never** ceases to surprise me.” Ker said loudly, shaking her head.

“I’m sorry for your trouble, strangers. He was just hoping to see an old friend.” Evander said sadly.

“At least you didn’t throw rocks at me this time.” Ker said and Boone could hear the smile in her voice.

Evander shot to his feet. “Ker…?” He said hesitantly.

“Can we come in?” Ker asked.

“Of-f course!” Evander stuttered. “Felix! Turn on the lamp!” One of the boys did as Evander asked and as Ker and Boone approached the fire, the cave was lit by the artificial light of an old world lantern. When Evander saw Ker’s face it was his turn to run toward her and grab her in a bear hug.

“Easy there…  Still healing.” Ker said through gritted teeth.

“Oh!” Evander quickly let her go and backed up in embarrassment. “It’s true then? You saved us **again**?” Evander asked.

“Apparently I did.” Ker replied as she walked closer to the fire.

“Rus likes to talk to the soldiers. He was sure it was you but the captain said the woman was with a soldier.” Evander explained as he followed Ker.

“Ah. Yes.” Ker stiffly lowered herself to sit by the fire. “Evander, everyone, the big, scary guy in the red hat is Boone. He’s a friend of mine.”

“A soldier?” Evander asked curiously as he sat beside her.

“Yes. He’s a good one, though.”

Evander looked over his shoulder at Boone. “Uh, you’re… um… welcome to join us then… uh… Sir.” Boone nodded to the young man then sat on the other side of Ker.

“Don’t mind him. He’s quiet and probably also very confused.” Ker explained.

“Confused? He doesn’t know?” Evander asked.

“No. To be honest I haven’t thought about you guys in a long time. I had no idea you’d be here.” Ker said honestly.

“Then why’d you come to Bitter Springs? No one comes to Bitter Springs by choice.” Evander snorted.

“We had business here. It was sheer luck we got here when we did.” Ker explained.

“You want me to tell him then?” Evander asked.

“You’re better at telling stories then I am.” Ker said.

“I guess I’ll start then. And everyone can fill in anything I miss, alright?” Evander said to the other kids. They all agreed.

“I guess is all started in Saligman. My parents and I were part of a wandering caravan until we met the Legion. They killed my father, took my mother and slapped me and my brother in shackles. They made us slaves. I won’t go into detail on what happened after that, but they overlooked something when they relegated us to slave labour; I can read. I know that’s minor to an NCR soldier, but it’s pretty much like magic to most legionaries. A chance encounter with a priest had me relegated to the stupidest position you could every put me in; mailman.”

“The frumentarii often sent letters among themselves and the priests. I was tasked with taking the letters between them and often to the nearby priests. The Legion never even considered that I could be reading all their valuable intelligence. So I was a good little slave… for a while. Until the reports got interesting. I bided my time, spread the right rumors and Selgiman rebelled the day after they dispatched their main forces. It was bloody.  A lot of slaves died.” Evander sighed. “A lot of parents died horrible deaths on cross to get their kids out. The next thing I know, I’m in the middle of the desert with twenty other kids all younger than me. We had no weapons, no food, no water and the only thing I could think of to do was to go west. So that’s what we did.”

“Keeping the little ones calm was hard; especially when they were hungry and thirsty. It didn’t take long for the Legion to catch us though. They herded us into a box canyon. I figured we were dead or worse. All we had to defend ourselves were rocks and sticks.”

“That’s when the thunder saved us!” One of the young girls added happily.

“Thunder?” Boone asked.

“I know now it was a rifle shot from the canyon wall. But yeah, basically we sat there and watched the legionaries die one after another as we heard the thunder crack. When the legionaries were all dead, we figured we were next. Instead a woman slid down the canyon wall to meet us. She wore a ragged duster and a beat up cowboy hat. She looked like she was a part of the desert come to life; covered in sand and dust and perfectly coloured to blend in with the terrain. Except for her guns; the rifle she carried in one hand was in immaculate condition, its metal gleamed in the moonlight. The kids panicked and threw rocks. Ker was **not** happy about that. She started to leave without saying a word.” Evander shook his head slowly. “I pretty much got down on my knees and begged at that point. I thought she was **still** going to leave. But she didn’t. Instead she started taking things off the legionaries and handing them out. Suddenly we had food, water and weapons. Then Ker headed west and we just... sort of… followed her.”

“She barely said a single word. She led us during the night and then disappeared after showing us where to hide for the day. She’d come back every night though, with more supplies. Severus started to call her Ker. He said he’d heard the legionaries talk about a thing that was hunting them in the desert; a thing that made them afraid. They called it a Ker. It caught on pretty quick.” Evander looked over at Ker who was looking longingly into the fire. “I don’t know how she did it. We didn’t see another legionary up close for the whole trip. We knew they were there, but the thunder always saved us.”

“One night she came back with extra supplies, but she was limping, badly. Still, she led us through the night. As we walked, I often told stories. My parents had liked to read and would often trade books with other people when our caravan stopped for supplies. I knew a lot of stories and they kept the little ones calm.”

“I can’t tell you how long we kept that up. Weeks, months. Time just sort of passed. Finally one night we got to a river. Ker pointed to some bright lights in the distant and then turned around and started walking east. I tried to stop her, to get her to come with us but she wouldn’t. So we crossed the river. It didn’t take long for us to run into an NCR patrol. They asked us how we made it through Legion territory without any adults. So we told them about Ker.” Evander shook his head. “They didn’t believe us. They said it was all a story I came up with to deal with the trauma. Then they took the little ones from us. They said they needed to be somewhere safer. Then they brought the rest of us to Bitter Springs.” Evander sighed. “I don’t know how long it’s been. I haven’t been keeping track.”

“Almost two years.” Ker said absently from beside him.

“Yeah, I guess that’s about right. Felix found this cave not long after we got here. The soldiers know we’re out here but not where. I pick up some supplies every few days and we manage. It may not be much, but this is paradise compared to being a Legion slave.”

“Ev, what’s paradise?” Felix asked.

“Think about a place where there is everything you could ever want. That’s paradise.”

“Can we go there?” A young girl asked.

“No, Luna. Paradise isn’t real. Anyway, I know the soldiers are trying to help but ever since they took the little ones away from us, I’ve… kept my distance. Ker didn’t go to all the trouble of saving us just for them to be spirited away by the NCR.” Evander sighed. “I should have stopped them.”

“Don’t.” Ker said abruptly. “The NCR isn’t cruel like the Legion. They try to do the right thing. If they took the little ones maybe they did take them somewhere safer.”

“You really think so?” Evander asked eagerly.

Ker looked over at Boone. “Yes.”

Evander also looked over at Boone. “I’m glad to hear you say that.”

Ker leaned back and lay on the cool stone floor. “That was the first time I broke the rules, Boone.” Ker said tiredly. “It was too big a risk.” She mumbled. “I’m… sleep…” She curled up on one side. “Play nice.” Boone heard Ker sigh and knew she was sound asleep.

Evander stood up and walked over to a nearby bedroll where he picked up a blanket. He brought it back and gently laid it over Ker.

“Is Ker alright?” Severus asked quietly from the other side of the fire.

“She’s just sleepy. Remember the soldiers told you she got hurt?” Evander answered.

“Yeah.”

“She needs to sleep to get better.” Evander explained.

“Oh.”

Eventually the kids made their way back to what they were doing before their hero had shown up; leaving Evander and Boone the only ones awake close to the fire.

“She’s changed.” Evander said quietly.

“Has she?” Boone asked just as quietly.

“Yes. The Ker we met in the desert was cold and detached, virtually devoid of emotions.” Evander remembered. “Whenever the little ones threw tantrums, I knew it grated on her. It even looked like she’d leave once or twice. She’s said more today then she said on our whole journey. Did you change her?” He asked as he looked at the older man.

“I think we’ve change each other.” Boone said, looking at the sleeping woman between them.

“She saved you too?”

“Yeah. More than once.”

“You’re lucky to have her.”

Ker woke to a gentle hand on her shoulder. “…eh?” She mumbled.

“It’s getting late; we should head back to the camp.” Boone said softly.

“Right.” Ker said and sat up stiffly. “Sorry for falling asleep on you, Evander.”

“You never need to apologize to me.” Evander said from nearby. Ker carefully stood and handed the blanket back to him. “If you are going into camp, Rus and I will join you. We need to get some supplies from Captain Gilles.”

“Sounds good.” Ker said and the four of them headed out down the twisty tunnel. Outside the sun had almost set. The group headed down the slope to the NCR area. Evander motioned them toward the command tent.

“Ah, Evander. What can I do for you?” The captain asked as he entered the tent. Severus entered next with Ker behind him. Boone waited outside beside the door.

“Captain.” Evander said with a smirk. “Remember how I told you we made it through Legion territory because of our escort?”

“Umm… Ah yes. Some sort of desert guardian angel. Regaling the courier with your story?” The captain asked.

“No need. Captain Gilles, meet Ker.” Evander said with just a bit of malice. Ker just smirked beside him.

“Ker? Wait, you’re saying it’s all true and **you** escorted two dozen kids for miles through Legion territory?” Gilles said in surprise.

“Yup. Took almost three weeks to get to the river from Saligman. Must’ve killed a hundred legionaries who got too close.” Ker sighed.

“I thought the kids were just telling stories.” Gilles said shaking her head. “I have to say, I still wouldn’t believe them if I hadn’t seen you take on the Legion here. Alright, Evander, I’ll send in a correction to my report.”

“Thank you, Captain.” Evander smirked and left the tent.

“People will believe us now?” Severus asked happily.

“Yes, they will.” Evander said happily. “I take it you won’t be staying Ker.”

“No.” Ker said sadly.

“I figured as much. I can’t tell you how good it is to see you again.” Evander said happily.

“You’re really leaving? But I just found you!” Severus cried.

“You like talking to the soldiers, right?” Ker asked him. He nodded sadly. “Ask them about the courier and her partner. We still have a lot of work to do if we want to push back the Legion, so they may be able to share some stories about us. And then you can tell Evander the stories for once.” Ker smiled down at him.

“Ok… I guess. Goodbye Ker.”

“Goodbye Severus, Evander.” Ker gave a small wave and headed for the infirmary tent. Severus turned and headed back to the cave but Evander grabbed Boone’s arm to stop him from following Ker.

“A moment, sir.” Evander took a breath. “Thank you.”

“For what?” Boone asked in surprise.

“I can tell you care about her. And I know she cares about you since she chased after the Legion to save you.  Just…” Evander paused, searching for the right words. “Just keep doing whatever you’re doing.” He smiled at Boone. “It seems to be working.” Evander nodded to Boone and turned to run after Severus.

Boone was left behind to stand alone in the camp. Momentarily he wondered exactly what Evander was referring to. After a few moments, Boone realized Ker might be wondering where he was. Boone entered the infirmary tent to find Ker lying on the cot she’d woken up on eating potato crisps.

“Evander. That was unexpected.” She said when he entered.

“Seems like a good kid.” Boone added as he grabbed some food from the pile he’d left on the table.

“As patient as a saint but he likes to talk, a lot. You know he would actually carry the little ones when they got tired or couldn’t keep up?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “I couldn’t understand why he’d risk his own shot at freedom; just to give a kid he didn’t know a better shot. I didn’t understand how he survived as a Legion slave and **still** had empathy and compassion.”

“Yet you trekked miles through the desert while injured to save someone you’ve only known a few months from legionaries who would have done horrible things to you if they’d gotten their hands on you.”

“Eww… When you put it like that, what **was** I thinking?” Ker said happily as she lolled her head to one side to grin at him.


	15. Tension

# Chapter 15: Tension

 

A long, rolling rumble of thunder pulled Ker out of a deep sleep. She came alert to the sound of heavy rain hitting the tent above her. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to focus on breathing. She succeeded at staying calm until the next crack of thunder shook the world around her. She sat up quickly and pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged her legs tightly. She then buried her face in her knees and started mumbling.

“Everything is fine. You’re in Bitter Springs with Boone. You’re-“ The thunder cracked again drowning out whatever she might have said to comfort herself. Sitting tensed as she was caused her still healing injuries to ache. The pain was yet another reminder.  “It’s over. You’re safe. You’re strong.” The whispered platitudes were doing little to calm her down. All she could focus on was the rain. She needed to drown it out. She tried covering her ears but it made no difference since she could still feel the thunder. She went back to hugging her legs tight, with her face still buried in her knees.

The slight brush of something against her currently hypersensitive back caused Ker to violently jerk away. She pulled away from the touch so violently that she rolled off the small cot and landed in the dirt on her butt. Panicking, she skittered back through the dirt away from the cot. Her eyes were everywhere, looking for threats but she was not consciously aware of what she was seeing. If it wasn’t a threat, it didn’t matter. She didn’t see Boone standing beside her cot with both hands raised; showing empty hands and nonviolent intentions. She didn’t hear him saying her name over the pounding rain. A particularly close crack of thunder forced Ker’s hands back over her ears as she tried to block out the sound. She closed her eyes and felt her whole world become nothing but rain and pain.

Within the world of pounding rain and rolling thunder she thought she could feel a place of calm. “Ker, I need you to focus on my voice.” The quiet and calm voice was hard to hear over the noise of the storm. Ker tried to focus. She tried to bring herself back to the present.

“Ker, focus on me.” She listened to the voice; not comprehending the words but hearing the serene tone of the familiar voice.

“Ker, focus.” As she steadied her breathing, Ker opened her eyes. Boone was kneeling on the ground in front of her, talking softly to her. He was just beyond her outstretched feet, a safe distance away. His hands were firmly placed on his knees.

“Ker, are you back with me?” He said as he saw her eyes focus on him.

“Keep talking.” Ker managed between ragged breaths. Boone hesitated, obviously not knowing what to say. “Did you always want to be a sniper?” Ker prompted.

“No but was always gonna be military.”

“Why’s that?” Ker said focusing everything she had on the conversation and not the pounding rain.

“Father’s a master sergeant out west. His father also served.”

“Just like the rangers.” Ker took a few breaths. “How’d you end up in First Recon, then?”

“I did well on the firing range, so I got the offer. It paid more, so I said yes.” Ker thought she heard a hint of nostalgia in his voice.

“Pay.” Ker huffed. “I still can’t believe that works.”

“What works?”

Ker paused to let a crack of thunder pass. “Money. In general. Useless bottle caps that can be traded for any number of useful things.”

“You’re serious.” Boone said flatly.

“Yes. Rangers tended to take bullets as easily as caps. Caps are heavy, noisy, and hard to count while bullets are easily counted in mags, come in variety of calibers and thus values and are useful in everyday life.” Ker explained. “I saw that weird NCR money, too. But if it works, it works.” Ker finally calmed down enough to relax where she sat, even though the rain kept pounding against the tent. “Thank you, Boone.”

“Are you alright?” He asked in evident concern.

“No. Thunder… thunder always gets to me.” Ker admitted. “You’d think I should love it. It was a thunderstorm like this that saved my life.”

“A flash flood?” Boone added. Ker looked up at him in surprise. “You mentioned it when we were near the deathclaws.”

Ker looked back into the dirt between them. “Yes. It was the second day. I wasn’t aware enough to notice the clouds roll in but I did feel the rain on my face. I remember thinking, ‘Rain will just make things worse’. It did, for a while, until the flood water was so powerful it broke the cross.” Ker sighed heavily. “I don’t remember anything else until I woke up the next morning on a riverbank.” Ker gritted her teeth through another crack of thunder. “I thought I was managing… but then I thought I felt something on my back and I lost it.” Ker shook her head.

“That was me.” Boone admitted. “Put my hand on your shoulder to shake you out of it. Bad idea.”

“It’s alright.” Ker listened as the rain started to ease up. Ker pushed herself to her feet and Boone followed.  “I don’t think I’ll be getting anymore sleep tonight. But there are still a few hours until sunrise, so you can.” Boone walked over and dug through his pack that sat beside his cot. He found what he was looking for and held it out to Ker. “Guns and Bullets?” Ker asked in confusion.

“You seemed to enjoy the last one we found.” He replied.

Ker gave a slight smile. “I guess I did.” She took the magazine from Boone. “Get some sleep. I’ll be fine.” A rumble of thunder accompanied the word fine and Ker flinched at it.

“You sure?”

“Yes. If I’m not, I’ll wake you.”

“Alright.” Ker watched Boone settle back into his cot as she found a comfortable position to read.

Boone woke to a bright and cheery, sunny morning that seemed to be trying to make up for the foul storm the night before. He rolled over to check on Ker. He saw she was seated cross legged on her cot with a grin on her face.

“Something funny?” He said with a stretch.

“How do you know if a sniper likes you?” Ker asked with a snicker.

“What? How?”

“He misses you.”

“That’s **terrible**.” Boone groaned with a grin.

“I know, right?” Ker snickered. “You alright?” She asked, much more seriously.

“Yeah, why?”

“You were talking in your sleep.” Ker paused for a moment. “It didn’t sound like a nice dream.”

“They never are.”

“I know.” Ker sighed. “I was thinking we could head back to the Strip today.”

“You up for it?”

“Yes.” It didn’t take long for the two to get packed and geared up. While they packed, the camp’s doctor came in to check on Ker. When he was finished with a quick examination, Ker asked him about supplies and he happily did some trading with them. Bitter Springs was happy to replace what they had lost defending the camp since the refugees were able to strip the Legion corpses for loot and supplies. Ker stepped out into the bright morning sun in a stylish new cowboy hat accompanied with a set of sunglasses. She also had some new clothes since her old clothes and duster were bloodstained and damaged beyond saving. She wasn’t able to find a duster but instead found a decent fitting tan leather jacket and a pair of light cargo pants. She completed her outfit with a sleeveless, light coloured shirt and a new pair of metal reinforced boots and gloves. Finally, she holstered her pistols on her thighs and sheathed her knives on her belt.

Boone had simply opted for some spare NCR trooper gear. With that he wore his usual sunglasses and beret.

“I must say, it’s sad seeing you two go.” Ker heard as she surveyed the camp. She looked toward the voice and saw Captain Gilles approaching.

“Never meant to stay this long.” Ker answered. “But I guess it worked out.”

“It sure did. I’ve been in touch with McCarran. They’re sending out some extra troops and supplies in a few days. So, hopefully, things will be safer here.”

“Good luck.” Ker nodded to Gilles as she heard Boone come up behind her. The pair walked past the captain.

“Boone?” Gilles asked hesitantly.

“Don’t.” Boone responded gruffly.

Gilles hesitated. “Just… thank you then.”

Boone just grunted. He then turned to Ker. “Let’s go.” Ker nodded and the pair left Bitter Springs.

They headed out via Coyote Tail Ridge. They traveled in their usual quiet comradery. They cut south to avoid the deathclaws and camped at a clearing in a rocky outcropping they both knew well.

Boone finished making a fire and sat back. Ker was standing on the other side of the fire stretching.

“Well, let’s get to it.” She said when she finished stretching.

“What?”

“So you got lucky and beat a wounded centurion in melee. That doesn’t mean you can stop training.” Ker said sternly.

“You’re-“ Boone started but was quickly cut off.

“This will be good for **me** too. It’ll give me a chance to work out some of the stiffness.”

Boone grumbled but he couldn’t deny that their recent dealings with the Legion had put him in close quarters and being better able to defend himself in that sort of situation could have drastically changed the outcome for the better. It was his lack of close combat experience that had almost gotten Ker killed. Boone got to his feet and spent the next hour losing miserably to a woman almost half his size.

“Alright.” Ker said when she finally thought he’d had enough. “I’ll make dinner.”

The next evening, Ker and Boone got to the Strip without difficulty and headed for the Lucky 38.

“Hey there, handsome.” Ker heard as she turned and saw a woman wearing almost nothing approaching them with her eyes trained on Boone. “You look like you could do with a little **relaxation**.” She said as she started walking very close beside Boone. “I’m sure your friend wouldn’t mind if you and I went off one our own.” She said as she briefly glanced at Ker then returned her focus to Boone. “I’ve been looking for a big, sexy soldier, and you sir, fit that description perfectly. I was thinking…” She started to whisper in his ear.

Try as he might, Boone couldn’t help but become aroused; the way she pressed her body against his side as he tried to ignore her, the way her hot breath tickled his ear as he tried to focus solely on walking. He wanted to tell her stop. He wanted to tell her to get lost. But it had been a very long time since Boone had had that kind of **relaxation** and even though his mind was saying no, his body was saying yes.

Ker noticed that whatever the woman had whispered in Boone’s ear made him blush. Slowly, she put things together.  She finally realized that if Boone had wanted the woman to leave him alone, he would have said so already. But he hadn’t and now, he was blushing. _If I wanted more, I could go to the Strip and pay for it._ He had said. Ker almost blushed when she realized **she** was in the way. She went to speak but didn’t get any sound out.

“I’ll meet you back at the Lucky 38.” She managed to get out on the second try. Ker dropped her eyes to the ground and trotted off ahead. Had she looked back she would have seen the startled look on Boone’s face as she left.

“Well, then. I guess it’s just you and me.” The woman whispered into his ear as she worked her way around in front of him, stopping him in his tracks. “Mmm…” She moaned. “It’s not every day I meet a man who has some much going for him.” She said as she ran her hands up and down his chest and kissed her way around his neck. “Handsome.” Kiss. “Fit.” Kiss. “Charming.” Kiss. “Even the silence suits you.” She brought her hands up to his shoulders. “So much tension.” She started to gently work at his shoulders. “How about you and I go somewhere more… private?” She whispered and ran a hand down his arm to take his hand. It only took a gentle tug to get his feet moving and he found himself following the woman around behind Gomorrah. She pulled him toward a door that she unlocked and opened. Then she turned around and took his hand in hers. She pulled him into the room and closed the door behind them. She pushed him up against the wall and started to kiss his neck.

Boone couldn’t believe what he was doing. He didn’t know what he was thinking. Probably because he wasn’t thinking. He just saw a nearly naked woman in front of him and for a moment that ache deep inside him changed to something else.

The woman slid her hand down his chest to rub across his tight abs. Then her hand went lower. “Well, now. I guess you’re eager to party.” She said happily as she rubbed at his hardening manhood. Carefully, she reached up to take his rifle off his shoulder and leaned it against the wall. Then she slipped his pack off his shoulders and dropped that to the floor. She coaxed his arms upwards and pulled his gear off. “Seems almost a shame to charge you.” She breathed heavily as she ran her hands over his bare chest. “I think I’m going to enjoy this almost as much as you will.” She sighed as she took off his sunglasses and placed them on the table.

Boone could feel himself relaxing into it. Surrendering to the allure of this woman… this hooker. This wasn’t him. Since when did he pay for sex on the Strip? _Since Carla died._ The thought was like a slap in the face and brought Boone back to the present. The woman was just reaching up to take off his beret when he reached up and grabbed her wrist to stop her.

“Stop.” He said sternly.

“Easy, sugar. If you wanna keep it on, it doesn’t bother me.” The woman said with a smile as she gently pulled out of his grasp.

“We’re not doing this.” He said roughly as he stepped aside to pick up his gear.

“It’s alright, sugar. You’ll enjoy it, trust me.” She said trying to step back in front of him. Boone quickly put his gear back on and knelt to dig through his pack. He pulled out a handful of caps and held it out to the woman. “You don’t need to pay in advance. You soldier types are usually good for it.” She smiled.

“Take it.”

The woman did not need to be told twice and took the money. Boone shouldered his pack and rifle and grabbed his sunglasses. He then turned to leave.

“Wait! You’re leaving?!” She asked in surprise, obviously confused.

“Sorry I wasted your time.” Boone said tersely.

“It was no waste sugar.” The woman said honestly as Boone moved toward the door. She hesitated then stepped into his way, placing one hand on the door and one on his shoulder. “Wait, sugar. Are you alright?” She asked softly.

Boone swallowed hard. “No.” He answered as he gently pushed her aside and opened the door.

“Is it your friend?” The woman asked quickly.

Boone was taken aback for a moment. Was it his friend? “No.” Boone said quickly then left the room and the surprised prostitute behind. He was halfway to the Lucky 38 when it dawned on him. His partner had just left him alone with a prostitute. She probably assumed he’d gone through with the deed. She had no reason not to. For some reason he couldn’t quite put his finger on, that bothered him. He didn’t care what the rest of his companions thought. Even if he did, it was unlikely Ker would spread around what had happened. What concerned him more was the look on Ker’s face before she’d left. Surprise? Embarrassment? Disappointment? He wasn’t quite sure, but it **mattered** to him.

Boone sat down on a beach near the Lucky 38. His mother had been a hopeless romantic. Since he was young she had instilled in him old world notions of romance and chivalry, much to his father’s annoyance. She’d believed in love at first sight, soul mates and monogamy and while Boone wasn’t sure he believed all the same, some of what she said had rubbed off on him. He’d taken a lot of flak during his time in the military for not acting on the many advances he’d received. First Recon had just said he liked playing hard to get. It wasn’t that he wasn’t interested; it was because he believed meaningless sex was just that; meaningless. It was a surrender to baser instincts. He’d tried, once or twice, to get close to someone before Carla but it had never worked, it never felt right. With Carla it had been **right**. It had been perfect. It was everything he thought it should be and more. He wouldn’t tarnish those perfect memories with a surrender to his animal instincts. He wouldn’t have sex with a prostitute for a simple, fleeting pleasure.

Would Ker think less of him for this? Maybe. He couldn’t really predict what she’d think or how she’d react. He was putting off finding out. He was putting off going back to the Lucky 38. He needed to cool off first. He was still flustered from what almost happened. He’d decided to walk the Strip.

It was late when Boone finally entered the Lucky 38 casino. So late it could almost be called early. He called the elevator and headed up to the presidential suite. The suite was quiet. The foyer light flicked on when he got off the elevator and he could see all the doors to the private rooms were closed. He walked over to the master bedroom door and raised his hand to knock. _No._ He thought and lowered his hand. It could wait until morning. Boone decided to grab some late dinner then turn in. He headed to the kitchen and opened the door. He could barely keep the surprise off his face when he saw Ker, seated at the kitchen table with her personal armory spread out on the table before her. She had a pistol disassembled in front of her and had a magnifying glass in one hand and the slide of the pistol in another.

“What are you doing still up?” Boone asked, barely hiding the surprise in his voice.

“Thought I’d clean my guns before bed.” Ker answered, still examining the slide with the magnifying glass. “Found a hairline crack near the ejection port of that one.” She indicated the assembled gun on the table without looking up. “Unfixable. I’ll need a new pistol before we head out again. Decided to give this one a thorough inspection.”

“Ah.” Boone answered awkwardly. “Good idea. You’ve put a lot of rounds through those guns in not a lot of time.”

“Hmm.” Ker hummed in agreement. Boone couldn’t think of anything to do or say so he proceeded to move over to the cabinets to find something to eat. “Cass left the leftovers in the fridge. When I told her you’d gone to McCarran to catch up with your old unit, she said something about late night ‘munchies’ helping a hangover.”

Boone moved over to stand in front of the fridge, but made no move to open it. He couldn’t keep running from this. He didn’t know why, but it was important to him that Ker know the truth. “Ker…” He tried.

“Don’t.” He heard her put the things in her hands down on the table. “You don’t need to explain things to me. I’m not a **child**. I may be ignorant to a lot of things, but this isn’t one of them.” He heard the chair rub against the floor and assumed Ker had stood up. He finally turned around to see Ker rearming. “I just hope you had fun.” She added when everything was in place. “You could use a little fun.” She turned and took a few steps toward the door.

Boone moved quickly and beat her there. “Wait.” He sighed. “Nothing happened.”

Ker glared at him. “Do you think I’m a fool? I saw you follow her behind the casino. There’s no need to lie about it. My **last** partner sought out that kind of **relaxation** every chance he got. I’d just lumped that into the bastard part of him, but I guess it’s more the male part.” She shrugged. “Will you be ready to head out in the morning? Cass says McCarran is looking for mercs again.”

“I…” Boone tried to think of the right thing to say, but nothing came to him. “Yes.” Was all he ended up saying.

“Good. See you in the morning then.” Ker pushed by him and headed to the master bedroom, leaving Boone to regret his actions, or lack of actions, even more.

They left early and without a word to each other. Boone had no idea what to say and Ker had nothing to say. They stepped out into the bright morning sun on the Strip. Ker descended the showy front steps of the Lucky 38 but stopped abruptly at the bottom. Boone, who was lost in his own thoughts, almost ran into her.

“Your friend is back.” Ker said stoically.

Boone looked up in surprise to see the same prostitute from the day before jogging their way from the Gomorrah. “Sugar!” She yelled when she was close enough.

“Let’s go.” Boone said harshly and turned to walk off.

“Sugar, wait!” The woman got in front of Boone and stopped him with a hand on his chest while she caught her breath.

“I’ll wait for you at the Monorail station.” Ker said roughly. “Don’t be too long.”

“Ker…” Boone tried but Ker had already turned to walk away.

“Maybe you should stay, miss.” The woman said after catching her breath.

“No.” Ker said with more malice then Boone had ever heard from her before. “That doesn’t interest me.”

“He’s pretty devoted to you.” The woman tried again.

“What?” Ker said. She was starting to get angry with this woman.

“I thought I had him, even got him to my room, but he stopped me there.” The woman kept her hand on Boone’s chest as she spoke to Ker. “Real gentleman. Paid me for my time even though we didn’t do anything. But this wasn’t no **performance anxiety**. I could see it in his eyes; there was someone else.”

“And you thought this was important for **me** to know?” Ker’s words were dripping with venom.

“Yes.” The prostitute didn’t seem fazed by the spite behind Ker’s words. “I don’t think it’s fair that he be punished for something her didn’t do.”

Ker snorted at that. “Punished.”

“If he’s yours, you’re a damn lucky woman.”

Ker finally sighed heavily. “He’s not.”

“He’s not?”

“No. Are we finished here?” Ker asked, glancing between Boone and the woman.

“Yes.” The woman said, removing her hand from Boone’s chest. Ker proceeded to walk off quickly and Boone jogged to catch up.

“I’m sorry I didn’t believe you last night.” Ker finally ground out as they walked down the Strip. “I was… “ Ker just shook her head.

“I shouldn’t have let it go so far.”

“You have every right, you know. As much as you loved her, Carla is gone. The vows you made when you got married were likely until death.” Ker said casually.

“Enough.” Boone said quietly. Ker shrugged and they walked the rest of the way to the monorail in silence, though the tension was lessened now between them. As they walked Boone picked up on Ker’s apprehension.

“We don’t have to do this.” He said when they when they were in sight of the Monorail station.

“I know.” Ker replied meekly.

“Everyone may know.”

“I know.”

“What will you tell them?”

“I… don’t know.” Ker answered hesitantly. “Wait.” Ker said as she stopped walking. Boone stopped beside her. “How do you know they know?”

“After our… scuffle… in the Lucky 38, I headed to McCarran to…” Boone thought for a minute. Why **had** he gone to McCarran? “I don’t know. Blow off steam I guess. Ended up at the First Recon tent. Sterling was a ranger before he was First Recon. He told me about the rumors and what he knew about you and your father.”

“Rumors?” Ker asked then shook her head. “I don’t understand. **Why** are there rumors? Why does anyone **care**?”

“You don’t know? Apparently Carter Cross is famous among the rangers.” Boone explained.

“Famous?!” Ker asked in surprise. “Why?”

“According to Sterling, Carter hated the Legion and he was damn good at killing them. So good, that the rangers looked the other way when he took his five year old daughter out into the field for training. Even though no one actually liked him, no one wanted to get in his way.”

Ker thought, hard. “No one liked him?”

“Sterling said he’d met Carter and that Carter was ‘a rude, self-centered, egotistical bastard’.”

Ker considered what Boone said carefully. “I remember stopping at ranger outposts to resupply from time to time. Everyone usually kept their distance from us. I thought it was because they were afraid of him. But it was because they didn’t **like** him?”

“Apparently. Anyway, Sable is famous too. Partly because they think Carter passed down everything he knew to his daughter. Partly because the rangers collectively feel like shit for letting that bastard take a five year old off to war.”

“Huh.” Ker answered when words failed her. “I thought after he quit, the rangers would stop caring about us. After the unification meeting I didn’t see a ranger up close for…” Ker thought back. “Until we went to Nelson.”

“Most of them thought Carter and his daughter died.” Boone added.

Ker snorted and shook her head. “Carter is most **definitely** still alive.”

“Sterling asked if my partner was Sable Cross…”

Ker looked up to meet Boone’s eyes. “What did you tell him?”

Boone sighed. “I told him my partner said Sable Cross died on a cross five years ago outside Hackberry.”

“So he knows.” Ker said sadly.

“I trust Sterling. I don’t think he’d spread rumors.”

Ker considered everything for a long moment. “Fuck the rangers.” She finally decided. “I’ve never let people stand in my way before and I won’t start now. I don’t have to tell them a thing.” She adjusted her pack and started walking again.

They reached the Monorail station and Ker pulled out the note from Colonel Hsu. She passed it to one of the guards.

“Everything looks good.” He handed the letter back and opened the door for them. When they got onto the platform Ker noticed it wasn’t only stares she got this time but whispered conversations too. She ignored them. She was much calmer on the Monorail this time. She was almost able to relax.  They reached McCarran quickly and Ker hopped off the train.

“I guess we should go bother that colonel again.” She said as they headed off the platform.

“Hsu.” Boone automatically provided.

“Right. He’ll probably know whose looking for help.” Ker walked beside Boone as he led the way. They reached the door and Boone knocked, then they waited for a sign to enter.

“Hey, First Recon!” A trooper leaning over the handrail yelled from the second floor. Boone and Ker both turned to look. “If you’re looking for the colonel, try the front gate!”

“Thanks!” Boone shouted back and they headed out of the terminal. The pair headed directly to the main gate. There, they found two gate guards that were surprisingly alert. There was also someone pacing back and forth just inside the gate.

“Courier?” Ker heard from the gate. The figure stopped pacing and looked up at them as they approached.

“Yes… uh… Colonel Hsu wasn’t it?” Ker said, hoping she was putting the details together correctly.

“Arrived via the monorail then, did you?” He asked casually.

“Uh, yes? That’s not a problem, right?” Ker shrugged. “I don’t know much about the NCR and its rules.”

Hsu seemed to read something in her voice. “Do you have something against the NCR?” He asked carefully.

“My father considered you a bunch of corrupt, genocidal warmongers.” Ker said with another shrug. She was punched roughly in the shoulder by her partner. “What?! It’s the truth!”

“That’s not-“ Boone started roughly.

“It’s alright, sergeant.” Hsu interrupted. “Yet you’re working with an NCR First Recon sniper and aiding the NCR at every turn.”

“It was my **father’s** opinion.” Ker said glaring at Boone as she rubbed her shoulder. “Until a few months ago, I’d never even met someone from the NCR.”

“Never?!” Hsu asked in surprise.

“Never.” Ker said firmly as she looked back at the colonel.

“Where are you from that you’ve never run into anyone from the NCR?” Hus asked in surprise. Ker hesitated and Colonel Hsu picked up on it. “I’m sorry, I didn’t-“

“Kingman.”

“Kingman?! Wasn’t that the home base of the Desert Rangers?”

“Yes, it was.”

“I see.” Both were quiet for a moment.

“Can I be blunt without getting punched again?” Ker asked looking between the two men. Hsu laughed under his breath as Boone sighed loudly. “Judging by the dark circles under your eyes I’m guessing you didn’t get any sleep last night.”

“You would be correct about that.”

“And you were pacing in front of the main gate.” Ker thought for a second. “Who’s late?”

“That’s quite the deduction.” Hsu sighed. “But you’re right. Things have been quite with the Fiends since you dealt with those bounties. I decided it was a good time to strike another decisive blow against them, so I sent Ranger Anders into Vault 3 after the Fiend leader to try and destabilize them. Anders hasn’t returned and he just missed his second check in.” Hsu sighed loudly. “Hell of a thing, losing a ranger. You come to depend on them. And they come through for you so often, you forget it can happen.”

“How do you know he’s dead?” Ker asked.

“I guess I don’t. But it doesn’t look good.” Hsu though for a moment. “Would you be willing to go into Vault 3 and find Anders?”

Ker thought back to a when she’d spoken with Anders the first night she spent in McCarran.

_Fiends are a waste of time. The Legion is what matters._

_Shut up, Father._

Ker glanced over at Boone. He nodded. “Alright, colonel. We’ll go take a look.”


	16. Discomfort

# Chapter 16: Discomfort

 

“Well, well. Look who it is. The prodigal son returns.” Ker and Boone had just finished trading for extra supplies and were now headed back to the main gate. The voice was one they both recognized.

“Betsy.” Boone greeted with a nod. Subconsciously, both partners had set a course to the main gate that steered clear of the First Recon tent.

“You tryin to sneak through without saying hello?” Betsy asked bluntly. She got no answer. “We heard about Bitter Springs. But you know the way things go around here; the story’s been passed around so many times it’s hard to know if it’s true. I wanna hear it straight from the Brahmin’s mouth.”

“We don’t have time-“ Boone began.

“Bullshit.” Betsy cut in. “Now are you coming along peacefully or do I gotta drag you there?”

Ker and Boone exchanged glances. Ker nodded and Boone sighed. “We’re coming.” Ker and Boone followed Betsy through the camp to the First Recon tent.

“I found em.” Betsy shouted when she got close. Sterling, Gorobets and Dhatri were all waiting at the tent. Bitter-Root and Ten of Spades were nowhere to be seen.

“Boone, courier.” Sterling greeted, his gaze lingering on Ker.

“We’re hearing a pretty unbelievable story out of Bitter Springs.” Dhatri added as he invited them in to sit down in the tent. They all took a seat around the large table in the tent.

“Tell us. From the beginning. And leave nothing out.” Betsy demanded. Ker rested her elbows on the table and held her chin in her hands. When no one spoke, she looked over at Boone and gestured with her head for him to begin.

Boone sighed. “Business took us out by Bitter Springs.” He began. “Camped nearby. On my watch, saw the Legion headed for the canyon. Knew the camp would be outmatched. So, we got between the Legion and camp.”

“Reports said it was a whole century. The two of you against eighty legionaries?” Dhatri asked.

“That’s practically suicide.” Sterling said with a shake of his head.

“Almost was.” Boone sighed. “Took down a lot. Wasn’t counting. They got too close. Got surrounded.”

“Shit.” Betsy huffed, knowing full well First Recon’s lack of hand to hand training.

“Ker got me out of the brawl but the centurion was waiting.” He sighed. “He used my own sidearm to shoot her. Guess the camp saw we were done for, they mounted an attack. Legion retreated, figured they’d take me as their prize. Didn’t make it easy for them.” Boone decided to leave his connection to the centurion out. That wasn’t something they needed to know. “Came to a few hours later. Centurion decided to cut out my eye to settle me down.” Boone vividly recalled seeing that switchblade inches from his eye.

“Cowardly fucks.” Betsy spat.

“Sniper killed the legionary restraining me.”

“A sniper?” Dhatri asked in surprise.

Boone nodded. “Least 1000 yards out. Between him and me, we killed the rest of the Legionaries.”

“Where the hell did the sniper come from?” Betsy asked.

“Ranger Station Bravo is out in that direction. Did Bitter Springs radio for some help?” Sterling added.

Boone shook his head. “Went looking for the sniper. Found my partner on the ridge, near dead.”

“What?!” The reaction was similar from all the listeners.

“I thought you said the centurion shot her?” Sterling asked as he looked at Ker who was barely paying attention.

“He did. She still came after me.” Boone said with a small grin. “Injuries were bad.” His smile faded. “Was worried she wouldn’t make it.”

“Damn, girl!” Betsy said as she leaned back in her chair. “You are all kinds of badass.”

Ker slumped down at the table and rested her chin of her arms. “Legion doesn’t get to fuck with my partner.” She mumbled.

“I’m glad you’re on our side, courier.” Sterling said as he stared intently at Ker.

_You are on **no one’s** side but mine._ The stern voice rang in Ker’s ears.

Ker moved her eyes enough to look up at Sterling but otherwise stayed still. They locked eyes for a moment. Ker felt cold rage swelling up within her.  Suddenly she stood up, causing her chair to be knocked to the ground, and slammed her fist down on the table. “I’m not on **your** side because you were never on **my** side.” She yelled. She took a breath and ignored the startled reactions around the table. “I’ll meet you at the front gate when you’re finished, Boone.” She said through gritted teeth then turned and stomped out of the tent.

“What the hell was that?” Betsy asked as she stared after the courier. Boone stood up and went to follow Ker.

Sterling quickly added. “I’m sorry, Boone. I didn’t mean to-“

“It’s alright.” Boone assured as he stood Ker’s chair back up. “Have a job to do anyways. Later.” Boone said briskly and left the tent.

Ker was angry. Originally she hadn’t liked rangers because that’s what her father had taught her. But the more she learned, the more she was starting to blame the rangers for everything that happened to her. She was stomping toward the gate when she felt a hand on her shoulder. Reacting out of anger, she pinned the hand and turned, ready to strike. It took an instant to clear the angry haze and recognize the person behind her. Luckily, Boone was ready and caught her incoming punch.

“Boone!” She answered roughly. “You shouldn’t sneak up on me like that!”

“Calm down and tell me what’s wrong.” He said briskly as he let go of her fist.

“It’s the Rangers! You said they **regret** that they let my father take me from Kingman; that they were against it. Yet not **one** of them tried to stop him! Not even Izzy! No one was on **my** side! Can you **imagine** what my life might be like if I never left Kingman with the bastard? Maybe I’d be an NCR Ranger with the rest of them! Maybe I’d be a grunt in the NCR Army!” Ker raged.

“Maybe you’d be dead.” Boone added.

“That still might be better than **this**.” Ker hissed.

Boone hesitated. “You’d rather be dead?”

“In case you didn’t notice Boone, I’m pretty fucked up.” Ker said coldly. “And I don’t think I’ll ever be right.”

“So?”

“I’ll never fit in anywhere, with anyone! I’ll never be more than the weapon **he** made me.” She shouted. “The only thing that changes is the **wielder**. My father, the NCR, House, it’s all the same.”

“You fit in just fine here.”

Ker scoffed. “In McCarran? I’ll never be NCR.”

“No. Here. As my partner. In case you didn’t notice, we’re **both** pretty fucked up.”

Ker looked him in the eye and then took a deep breath that she slowly let out. “I guess we are. I’d never considered the what ifs. When I did, it made me angry.” She sighed. “But neither one of us can change the past.”

“You can’t dwell on it. The ‘what ifs’ and ‘should haves’ will consume you. Trust me on that.”

“Alright.” Ker agreed calmly.

“Do you still want to go save this ranger?”

“We already told Hsu we would.” Ker said and then shook her head clear. “Let’s go.” Boone simply nodded and the pair headed for the main gate.

Getting into Fiend territory was easy. With two sharp sets of eyes and an 800 yard radius, they killed most Fiends before they were even noticed. The old buildings still standing near the vault’s entrance made it a bit harder. Ker scouted and called Boone up when it was clear. In the early afternoon after using half their supply of ammo they found the vault door. It was closed but there were controls on the outside.

“Deadly chokepoint.” Ker announced obviously. “I’d be waiting on the other side.”

“You said you had an idea for this.” Boone reminded. Ker shot him a devious grin and dropped her pack in front of the giant cog door. She sat down and started withdrawing items Boone recognized.

“Claymores?”

“Rigged in parallel and set to a trigger.” She explained as she worked.

“You do know what you’re doing… right?” Boone had seen exactly what a claymore was capable of on several occasions and he didn’t want to end up on the wrong side of one.

“No. I’m just winging it.” She said sarcastically. “Claymores aren’t exactly common out east so they make good legionary traps. Always gotta hide em well and use remote detonators though. Legionaries are pretty good at picking out trip wires.” She worked carefully and with steady hands as she set the explosives in a rough semicircle in front of the vault door. “And… set.” She said and stood up with the detonator in hand. She then held it out to Boone. “Just flip back the red guard and flip the switch. Then pull the trigger to detonate. Wait for the door to be all the way open.”

Boone took the detonator gingerly. “What about you?” He asked, not removing his eyes from the detonator and being very careful to keep his finger off the trigger.

“I need to hit the open button and book it to cover.” She explained. “Find some cover beyond 100 yards to be safe.” She cocked her head to the side and grinned. “And try not to blow me up.”

Boone finally looked up from the detonator and nodded to Ker. Then he headed off to find cover. Ker waited until she got a signal from her partner then examined the control panel. She pulled the lever and ran to the nearest cover. The massive cog door made a loud grinding noise as it was dragged out of place then a heavy thunk thunk thunk as is rolled clear. Ker heard an angry greeting from inside the vault as she ducked behind some cover. A moment later the claymores detonated.

Ker popped up from behind her cover with both pistols ready but there was nothing to shoot. Carefully, she approached the grisly scene. She was administering a second coup de gras when she heard Boone come up behind her.

“I expected more.” Ker said as she cleaned her knife on her sleeve.

“Can’t trust a fiend for guard duty, I guess.” Boone shrugged.

“I’ll take point.” Ker said as she headed for the door that lead deeper into the vault. They began to explore the vault, slowly and carefully. They found drugs everywhere they went but very few Fiends. Ker collected anything useful as they explored. Eventually they came to a locked door.

Ker sighed. “Cover me.” Then she tried picking the lock. It was surprising easy and popped open a moment later. Ker opened the door and went to move through it when she felt a heavy hand on her shoulder pull her to a stop.

“Trip wire.” Boone said quietly.

Ker looked down and just inside the doorway was a steel wire. She’d been too close to notice it easily. “Thanks.” She replied as Boone’s hand left her shoulder. She then knelt and checked the wire. It was easy to disarm the explosives it was rigged to but the trap left Ker confused. “Fiends don’t strike me as the type to lay traps.” She mumbled as she crept down the hallway. She opened the next door and ended up looking down the barrel of a gun.

“Son of a bitch! I thought you were a Fiend!” The ranger holding the gun cried in relief as he staggered back against the wall.

“Anders.” Ker greeted as she stepped into the room. She recognized the ranger from her first night at McCarran.

“And you’re Sable Cross, aren’t you?” He replied with a wry grin. Ker tried not to flinch at the mention of her name but she was unsuccessful. She grunted an affirmation in reply. “When Islington told me I had my doubts. But the resemblance is uncanny. You even use the same weapons he used.”

“So you knew my father.” Ker said flatly.

“Knew him? I had the displeasure of working with him when we were teenagers.” Anders slid down the wall into a seated position.

“That leg is infected.” Ker said, gesturing toward the ranger.

“I know.” Anders grimaced. “But Hsu needs the Fiend leader gone so he can send more men to the front lines. First Recon is wasted this far back.”

Ker dropped her pack and knelt beside the ranger. “We’ll do it.” She said as she sorted through her gear to pull out a Stimpak and a med kit.

“Would rather do it myself, but I don’t think that’s an option.” Anders sighed, shaking his head. “Here’s a key to the maintenance wing.” He handed over a key that Ker stored in her pack then she applied the Stimpak to the ranger’s leg. “Carter Cross. God, that takes me back.” Anders reminisced.

“Was he always a bastard?” Ker asked offhandedly as she worked to bind the ranger’s leg.

Anders laughed. “Yes. In fact, I remember one time-“

“Finished.” Ker interrupted. “Get back to McCarran. We’ll finish up here.” Ker offered a hand to help the ranger up.

“Alright.” Anders agreed and took the hand she offered. “Be careful. Motor-Runner is known to use a chainsaw.” Ker nodded her understanding. Anders nodded back then nodded to Boone and he headed out.

Ker lead the way as they explored more of the vault. It was still very quiet so the sound of muffled conversation in the next room stood out. Ker peeked around the corner and saw the makeshift cage with people in it. She hesitated a moment and one of the captives saw her.

“Oh thank God! Get us out of here!” He pleaded. Without a word, Ker approached the door and tried the lock.

“No way I can pick this.” She said to Boone over her shoulder. “But I think we might be able to tear this all down.” Between her, Boone, a chair and a little leverage, they managed to pry open a section of the bars. The captives thanked the pair profusely and gave them a password they had found before Ker told them to get lost.

Ker and Boone continued exploring. They found an untouched section of vault behind a locked door but still no Fiends. Ker slowly became more and more on edge, even still it was a surprise when he fiends started pouring out of a door between Ker and Boone.

“Shit.” Ker mumbled. She turned and ignored her gun for fear of hitting her partner. She started stabbing and cutting her way through the Fiends. She was almost back to Boone; she could see him between the few remaining Fiends. This meant she saw the one that got behind him. “Behind-!“ She wasn’t able to finish. The Fiend grabbed Boone around the neck with one forearm and pulled him in close as he thrust a combat knife low into Boone’s back. Ker heard Boone cry out then she saw the Fiend violently jerk the knife and rip it free. Ker saw red and it wasn’t just the spray of blood when the Fiend withdrew the knife. She saw Boone’s rifle slip from his hands and clatter loudly to the steel floor. If there was such a thing as seeing the events in slow motion, Ker was experiencing it. She wanted to cry out to him as the Fiend released him and Boone collapsed to the floor. Instead Ker set whatever emotions she was feeling aside and focused solely on the remaining Fiends.

It was over in less than a minute. All the Fiends lay dead or dying at her feet. Ker had to check her footing as she raced back to Boone.

“Boone! Boone! Talk to me!” She called as she ran. At full speed, she dropped to her knees and slid the last few feet to her injured partner. He had fallen forward when the Fiend had let him fall and Ker could see the trooper armor he wore was already soaked in blood. Ker shrugged off her pack and pulled out her spare shirt. She crumpled it up and applied pressure to the wound. When she did, she heard a grunt of pain. With a quick sigh of relief she looked around.

“Shit. We need to move. The Fiends can come from too many angles.” Ker said aloud. She then started fumbling through her pack for some of the drugs they had found. She found a syringe of Med-x which she applied near the wound in Boone’s left lower back. She then retrieved a Stimpak and did the same.

“Boone, we need to move. Can you stand up?” Ker got a grunted reply and she felt Boone try to move. She helped him as best as she could and got him on his feet. She put his right arm over her shoulders and her left hand around his waist and kept pressure on the wound. “We can go back to that locked section. We should be safe there. Ready?” She started walking under the heavy weight of her partner.

“Didn’t think…” Boone began haltingly. “It’d be a Fiend… that killed me.”

“You’re not going to die.” Ker snorted derisively.

“Not your fault…” Boone added after a few more steps.

“You’re **not** going to die.” Ker said more firmly, even though her eyes drifted to the blood soaked, balled up shirt she held against the wound.

“Glad I left Novac… with you.” He said when they reached the end of the hall.

“Stop it.” Ker could feel Boone getting weaker beside her as she supported more and more of his weight.

“Maybe… I’ll see Carla again.”

“I think Carla will be happy to wait a little longer.” Ker said through gritted teeth as they reached the door they had unlocked earlier. Ker reached out and hit the control pad only for Boone to go limp beside her. She couldn’t support his weight and they both fell to the floor. Ker quickly got to her knees. “Boone!” She cried as she checked for a pulse. It was still there. She stood up and then bent down to grab Boone around the chest. With all her might she managed to lift her partner mostly off the ground. She started to take staggered stepped backward, half dragging, half carrying Boone. She got him into the once locked section and gently laid him down on his back. Then she ran back and locked the door.

_Father. I need your help._

_Oh? To save the sniper? He’s not worth the time, effort or supplies._

_I don’t care. Remind me what to do. I have to do this right._

_Alright._

Delving back into memories of her father, Ker remembered the things she needed. Her father had taught her first aid and basic anatomy. The first aid was mainly taught by him walking her through how to treat his injuries or her own. The anatomy she learned from a legionary’s necropsy. She’d learned more from her father’s handheld Pip-Boy 2500.

Ker staunched the bleeding as best she could; it took far longer then she’d hoped for the bleeding to slow down. When the bleeding was minimal, she stitched the ragged edges of the wound closed. Then applied more pressure until the bleeding stopped. As carefully as she could, she dragged Boone into the first room she came across. Inside was a two person bed. It took a while but Ker managed to clean up most of the blood using Boone’s unsalvageable shirt, her spare shirt and one of the sheets on the bed. After that she carefully got him settled on the bed. She pulled the blanket over him then kicked off her boots and sat on the other side of the bed to make sure he kept breathing.

A few hours went by and Ker noticed that while Boone was still breathing, his lips were turning blue. “Shit.” She knew of only one way to get his body temperature up in the cool, air conditioned vault. Ker set her weapons aside and took off her shirt. She crawled under the blanket and snuggled up beside her partner.

“Good thing you’re unconscious.” She mumbled as she rested her head on his icy shoulder and wrapped an arm around his chest. It never occurred to her that she’d fall asleep like this.

Boone woke slowly. He was groggy, stiff and disoriented. He tried to move, only to elicit a disturbed grunt from someone curled up against him.

“Carla.” He said softly and contently; never bothering to open his eyes to check. “Hey, beautiful. It’s time to get up.” His left arm was wrapped around the woman so he brought up his right hand to stroke her cheek. Even that little movement tired him out. That’s when he realized he was exhausted. What had he and Manny **done** last night? He decided to just lay there; there was no need to get up right away. He sighed loudly and contently.

“Boone?” He heard the groggy voice from beside him. He smiled. Carla rarely called him that; usually only when he’d done something wrong.

“Yes, ma’am?” He replied quietly, in the best military tone he could muster.

The person beside him shifted and pulled out of his grasp. “Boone? Open your eyes.”

“Think I got carried away last night.” Boone said with a smile.

Ker was shocked to see the easy smile on Boone’s face; one of pure contentment. She felt an odd tug at her heart but spoke anyways. “Boone! Focus! I need you to open your eyes.” She pleaded.

“Just a bit longer…”

“You can sleep all day. Just open your eyes for me first.”

Boone groaned but slowly opened his eyes. “Hey, beautiful.”

Ker saw Boone’s eyes open and immediately noticed the glassy and vacant gaze. He must have lost a lot of blood. He was confused and thought she was Carla. Ker shook her head slowly.

“Alright, Boone. Get some more sleep.” She said softly. She saw Boone’s expression change to one of frustration.

“Why are you doing that?” He said roughly.

“Doing what?” Ker answered automatically.

“Boone.” He said then continued after a moment. “What’s wrong?”

“You got hurt. You need to rest.” Ker tried.

“Hurt?” He asked in surprise. “I feel fine.” He said harshly and then started to sit up.

“No!” Ker cried and leaned forward to push his shoulders back down. He relaxed under the insubstantial force.

“Enough, Carla. What’s going on?” He asked harshly.

“Listen…” She wanted to address him directly but she didn’t know what Carla called him. “You just need some sleep. Everything will be back to normal when you wake up.”

“Bullshit.” Boone said sternly. “A husband knows when his wife is acting strange.”

Ker didn’t know what to do. She could tell him the truth. That would likely get them into an argument and agitate Boone. Or she could lie and pretend to be Carla to settle him down. Neither seemed like a good idea. But pretending to be Carla might settle him down easier. No, she couldn’t do it.

“I can’t do this, Boone.” Ker said shaking her head and leaning back to take her hands off his shoulders. “You have to trust me. I have your back. **Please** get some sleep.”

“You have my back?” He asked in confusion.

“Yes.”

“But my partner-“

Ker interrupted. “-Has your back.”  Boone blinked several times in confusion. Ker could see he was starting to get tired.

“My partner…” He mumbled as his eyes closed. He drifted off quickly.

Ker let out a long, loud sigh.

Ker spent the next day sorting through the loot available in the untouched section of the vault. She found all sorts of neat stuff. The piece that intrigued her most was a sphere impaled on a stick then set on a stand. It was about the size of her pack, but very light. She sat on the bed while holding the sphere in her lap. She started examining it. It was easy to determine that the blue areas were supposed to be water, since many had ocean or lake written on them. That must mean the other coloured areas were land? She started reading the names on some of the tiny different coloured bits.

“Germany, Norway, Greece, Italy…” She slowly worked her way around the sphere. “India, Nepal… China?” She’d heard of China before. She kept turning the sphere. “Brazil, United States of America?!” It finally hit her. These were all **countries**. She knew she was in America. She examined the America section closely. “Kentucky, Ohio, Utah? Colorado? California!” She said with pride. That was where Boone was from! The Strip was near California. It only took her a moment to find the word Vegas nearby. She smiled proudly to herself. If that was where she was then this must be a representation of the **entire** world. There was **so** much water! Ker spent an hour reading through the country names and examining her little world.

“Hmm.” She heard from beside her on the bed.

“Boone?” Ker tried tentatively.

“Alive?” He said it more as a question than a statement.

“Sorry, but yeah.” Ker answered as she put the little world aside. “How ya feelin?”  She asked tentatively.

“Sore… stiff…”

Ker hopped of the bed and grabbed the Med-x she’d set aside earlier. “Let’s dull some of that pain.” Ker pulled aside the blanket and injected the Med-x in Boone’s side.

“How long?” He croaked.

“Two days. You woke up once yesterday.” Ker said as she sat back down on the bed beside him and pulled over her pack to find some food and water.

“Don’t remember.”

“That’s probably for the best.” Ker said, slightly embarrassed.

“Why?”

“You were really out of it.” Ker set the food and water on the bed.

“What happened?”

Ker shifted uncomfortably and decided it was best to ignore that question. “Now that you’re in the clear, it’s time I dealt with Motor-Runner.”

Boone noticed Ker’s evasive maneuvers and that made him curious; curious and worried. “You’re not dealing with the leader of the Fiends alone.”

“Yes I am. In case you didn’t notice, the tight confines of this vault are my **ideal** fighting conditions. Not so much for you with your rifle.” Ker held out her canteen to him.  “You’re also in no condition to move yet.”

“Then we wait another day.”

“No. I’m going. I’ll leave my supplies here so I can move more freely.”

Boone sighed and took the canteen. This wasn’t really a debate. Ker could leave at any time and he couldn’t follow. “Be careful. Don’t engage if the odds aren’t in your favor.”

Ker stood up and smirked. “Where’s the fun in that?”

“Ker.”

“Fine, fine. I’ll be careful.” Ker placated as she checked her pistols. “What’s that?” Ker ask pointing to her little world on the bedside table.

“It’s a globe.” Boone explained. “It’s-“

Ker cut in. “A representation of the whole world, right?”

“Right.”

“I figured that out. I just didn’t know what it was called.” Ker had everything in place and turned to leave.

“What happened yesterday when I woke up?” Boone asked again.

Ker could lie to him. But she’d never lied to him before. Now wasn’t the time to start. “You thought you were in Novac.” She swallowed hard before continuing. “You thought I was Carla.” Ker said meekly and left the room quickly. Outside the room and down the hall, when she was sure she was out of sight and hearing range, she sagged against the wall. “You though I was Carla.” She whispered to herself. “And for a moment, I wished I was.”


	17. Waiting

# Chapter 17: Waiting

 

Ker was angry. She stalked through the halls of the vault looking someone, **anyone** to take out her anger on. She found plenty of Fiends but it wasn’t enough of a distraction. She moved with practiced grace and vicious precision even though he mind was elsewhere.

“What is **wrong** with me?” She asked a Fiend she had pinned to the wall with her knives. His only response was to spit blood before Ker killed him. “My stomach’s in a knot and my heart hurts.” She said aloud as she dodged around a confused Fiend to find an opening. “The last time my heart hurt like this was after father…” Ker shook her head briskly. “He’s **not** father… but he was still going to leave me. For **her**.” Ker stopped in her tracks. “Am I… **jealous**?” She considered carefully. “He was so happy, just to be with her.” Ker looked down at her feet. “I thought I helped but nothing has changed. Maybe it never will.” She sighed and continued on.

Eventually she came across the locked door to the maintenance section. She used the key Anders had given her and slipped in. It was pretty empty. She crept through the halls. The dogs heard her before she heard them and they let out a bark to indicate her presence before they came running. A swift kick and knife slash took care of the first dog but the second latched onto her boot. As she killed the second dog she heard the revving of an engine. Motor-Runner, she assumed, charged her with a massive chainsaw. Ker stumbled as she dodged to avoid the weapon. The shin the dog had got its jaws around hurt but she knew it wasn’t broken and she didn’t think the teeth had gotten through the thick leather. Her stumble left her open for a moment and the chainsaw swung by dangerously close to her chest. She dodged again but still couldn’t find an opening. The chainsaw swung close again. Ker used the Fiend’s momentum to pull the chainsaw forward and into the pipes on the wall. Motor-Runner howled as the chain got bound up in the pipes but the howl was cut short by a knife in his throat.

Ker sighed and turned off the grinding chainsaw. She grabbed Motor-Runner’s helmet and started looting. She grabbed everything of value she could find and started back toward where she had left Boone. She was halfway back when she realized she didn’t **want** to go back. So she ducked into the blood splattered cafeteria and cracked open a bottle of Nuka Cola she had found. She collapsed in a booth and kicked her feet up.

“Things used to be so simple.” Ker lamented. “Kill legionaries. Stay alive.” She explained to a dead Fiend who was propped up against the wall. “But now… I don’t know what to do.” She snorted loudly. “I don’t even know what I **want**.” She felt an odd tug at her heart. “No, that’s not true. I want to see Boone smile like that again. Only, I want it to be **me** he’s looking at.” She stopped and thought. “I **am** jealous of Carla; at least the way she made him feel. Wait… Does that mean… Do I **like** Boone?!” The bottle of cola nearly slipped from her hand as Ker had this revelation. “I care about him. I like traveling with him and I want to see him happy.” Her mind slipped back to the moment she had woken up with her head on his shoulder. His arm had been around her and he was gently stroking her cheek with his thumb. She’d been content there; in his arms. But the first words out of his mouth had shaken her back to reality. “Beautiful.” She huffed. That was Carla, not Ker. It didn’t matter how much she cared about Boone. Boone loved Carla. That was undeniably true. “Serves me right.” She said roughly. “The one thing I’ve come to want in this world is the one thing I can’t have. That settles it. I finally know what I have to do.” Ker slammed the empty cola bottle down on the table and hauled herself to her feet.

Ker walked back to where she’d left Boone with regained confidence. She was less conflicted now and she knew what she needed to do. She got to the door and keyed in the code. She headed down the hall and held up Motor-Runner’s helmet in victory as she rounded the corner to the room where Boone was. She barely caught her tongue in time to stop her greeting. He was obviously asleep. Ker gave him a sad smile and plopped down in a nearby chair.

“I’m fine.” Boone said sternly as Ker fussed over him for the third time since they’d left the vault.

“Alright.” Ker said carefully, hiding the pang of sadness at his gruff tone. Ker walked with her pack full and a duffle bag full of loot and Boone’s pack. She’d refused to let him carry it. He’d slept through the rest of yesterday and only woke this morning. He’d insisted they head back to McCarran today and as much as Ker wanted to argue, she didn’t. The morning so far had been filled with tense silence. Boone didn’t ask about what he didn’t remember and Ker didn’t offer anything. The silence continued all morning with the only exceptions being when Boone spotted a Fiend before Ker. She refused to let him shoot even though he demanded to carry his rifle.

They reached McCarran in the early evening. The moment the guard recognized them he let out a loud, sharp whistle.

“Well, well. If it isn’t team Courier! Robart has been taking bets on whether the two of you were still alive or not.” The soldier laughed. “The colonel wanted me to direct you to his office the moment you got back.”

“Infirmary first.” Ker declared.

“Ker.” Boone said sternly.

“Don’t make me drag you there.” Ker responded with what she hoped looked like a real smile. Boone grunted but followed her to the infirmary.

“Can’t believe I was starting to doubt you.” Ker heard when she entered the infirmary.

“Anders.” Ker replied.

“Took your sweet ass time getting back here.” He laughed.

Ker motioned the doctor over and explained what had happened. She was just paying him for the Stimpak he used on Boone when Hsu walked into the infirmary tent.

“Thank God.” The colonel sighed in relief. “I thought for sure I’d sent the two of you to your deaths.”

“Got you a gift.” Ker said and tossed Motor-Runner’s helmet to the colonel.

“Just what I wanted.” Hsu smiled happily and handed a stack of NCR bills to Ker. “Everything alright?” He asked as he glanced between the partners.

Ker went to speak but Boone cut her off. “Fine. Colonel.”

The ride back to the Strip was quick and quiet. Ker stepped out of the elevator into the presidential suite only to be immediately rushed by Veronica.

“Ker! Ker! You’re finally back!” Veronica said happily. “I got you a present!” She held out a box to Ker. Boone stepped out from behind Ker and headed for his room. Ker looked after him longingly before shaking her head and bringing her focus back to Veronica.

“What is it?” Ker asked as she took the box.

“Open it!” Veronica squealed.

Ker complied and opened the box. Inside was a hand held radio. “You got it working?” Ker asked in surprise.

“Yup. See?!” Veronica grabbed Ker’s hand and pulled her into the kitchen where the main radio was set up. Veronica then starting rambling about all the intricacies of the radios electronics. Ker just listened, glad for the distraction.

Boone woke from another nightmare. The bright sun was streaming in through the split in the curtains. He guessed it was late morning. Ker would probably be eager to head out again. They should have set off at dawn. Why hadn’t she woke him?

He quickly got up and got ready. He grabbed his pack and weapons and headed out of his room. He ran into Arcade in the foyer.

“Well, well. Good morning. Sleep well?” Arcade asked happily. Boone merely grunted and walked toward Ker’s door. “If you’re looking for our fearless leader, she’s not here.”

“What?” Boone asked in surprise.

“Cass got some leads on the people who attacked her caravans and Ker decided to help her look into it. Veronica tagged along too. They should be back in a few days.” Arcade explained. “Caps are in the footlocker by the elevator and if you go into Freeside pick up some fresh food. There’s a ridiculous amount of food here, but it’s all that old world stuff and a person can only tolerate that for so long.” Arcade turned toward the elevator. “Well, I promised Julie I’d help out today so I guess you’re on your own.” Arcade said and hit the elevator call button. In only a few moments, Boone stood alone in the Lucky 38.

“Alright spill the beans.”

“…what?”

“About you and Boone!”

“No, seriously. Spill the what?”

“Beans! It means tell us your secrets!”

“Secrets?”

“About you and Boone!” Veronica demanded happily.

“There are no secrets about me and Boone.” Ker assured her talkative female companion.

“I reckon that’s a lie. You’ve spent **weeks** travelin’ **alone** with Mr. Tall, dark and handsome. All those cold desert night, alone under the stars…” Cass prompted.

“Nothing happened. He’s my friend that’s all.” Ker assured again.

“I find that hard to believe.” Veronica laughed. “Cass is right about the tall, dark and handsome bit. A little quite though; he doesn’t really hold up his end of a conversation.”

“He’s got no trouble talkin’ to Ker.” Cass laughed.

“Why didn’t you want to bring him along, anyway?” Veronica asked.

“I told you, he got hurt pretty badly and I want him to get some rest.” Ker explained.

“Ri-i-i-ight.” Veronica looked over at Cass as they walked through the desert. “Lover’s quarrel.” She sighed.

“Ugh. Is that all women think about?!” Ker asked in frustration.

“No, but it’s all **men** think about. You’re saying he hasn’t put the moves on you even **once**?” Veronica asked in surprise.

“The moves?” Ker looked between them. “If you’re asking if he’s tried to seduce me, then no.”

“No?! Not even once?” Cass asked.

“No.”

“And you haven’t put the moves on him?”

“Veronica, I don’t even know what the moves **are**.” Ker responded with a sigh.

“Maybe he’s gay.” Cass said pensively.

“Nah, Arcade’d be all over that if he was.” Veronica laughed.

“Well, if you’re not interested, can I make a move?” Cass asked with a grin.

“He’s all yours, Cass. If **you** can make him happy, I wish you nothing but the best.” Ker said sadly.

“That’s awful cryptic.” Cass said with a glare.

“I guess it is.”

Boone spent the first day in the Lucky 38 occupying himself with whatever he could. He cleaned his rifle and sidearm. Then he cleaned his cloths and resupplied. The second day he couldn’t sit still and wandered the Strip. It took a conscious effort not to head into one of the casinos for a drink. The third day he started pacing. He was waiting in the foyer when Cass and Veronica stepped out of the elevator late on the third day.

“Where is she?” He growled.

“Woah, easy there, tiger.” Cass said carefully. “She’s fine. Said she needed some time ta think and left before we got into the elevator.”

Boone pushed by them and into the still open elevator. He ran out of the Lucky 38 and then stopped to look up and down the Strip, hoping to see her. It was almost dark and there were already a lot of people around but he didn’t see his partner. Inspiration struck him.

“Victor.” Boone said as he approached the securitron by the door.

The happy cowboy flashed onto the screen. “What can I do for you, pardner?”

“I’m looking for Ker, the courier. Did you see which way she went?” He asked.

“That would be a hard no, friend.”

“No? When did you last see her?”

“Last I saw the young woman; she was going into this here fine establishment with her two lady friends.” Victor drawled.

“Going in?” Boone asked in surprise. Was she still inside? Boone pushed past the robot and stepped onto the casino floor. A quick glace around showed nothing out of the ordinary. “Ker?” He called. He got no response. She could be here or anywhere else in the hotel. He’d check here first. He started wandering the large casino floor. As he walked, he saw a familiar steel clad leather boot sticking out from behind the bar. He approached the bar’s counter and noticed the shards of broken glass on the ground beside a nearby booth. He stepped behind the bar and found Ker sprawled out on the floor with her rifle beside her and her head on her pack. She was staring up at the ceiling with a bottle of whiskey in one hand.

“Ker?” He said carefully.

“How do you even **drink** this stuff?” She said holding the bottle up for him to see. He noticed that the bottle had been opened but there was only a small amount missing.

“It’s an acquired taste.” Boone admitted as he sat down at her feet. “What are you doing?” He asked sternly.

“What does it look like?” Ker said sarcastically.

“It looks like you’re about to make a bad decision.”

“Yup. And it’s **my** decision to make.” She said smugly.

“Why are you doing this? Why’d you leave me behind? Is this about what happened in the vault?”

“That’s a lot of questions.” Ker said. She hadn’t moved from her sprawled position on the floor. She hadn’t even lifted her head to make eye contact with Boone. “But we don’t **ask** questions like that.”

“What?”

“Cass is gonna make a move on you.” Ker said changing the subject. “I’m not exactly sure what that entails, but **she’s** excited.”

“Goddammit.” Boone said shaking his head.

“Might wanna keep an eye out for Veronica, too. Apparently, you’re Mr. Tall, dark, and handsome. I guess that’s a compliment.”

“What happened?” Boone asked from where he sat.

“Nothing. We found Cass’s raided caravans. It wasn’t the Legion. The raiders used energy weapons and burned the loot. Cass thinks it’s some energy weapon traders in Freeside, the Van Graffs. She’s gotta decide now if she wants bloody vengeance or lawful, NCR justice.”

“That’s not what I meant.” Boone said roughly.

“I know.” Ker grinned as she sat up. “It makes you forget; at least for a little while.” She quoted as she started unscrewing the cap of the bottle.

“It’s not worth it.” Boone shook his head sadly.

“I don’t know. It was worth it to you for a long time.” She pulled off the cap and brought the bottle up to her nose. “Bleh. Smells rotten.”

“It tastes worse.”

“I know.”

“Ker, talk to me.”

“I am talking.” She said smugly. “Ah, but I’m not saying the right things, am I?” She put the bottle down beside her and sat cross legged. “Did you know that the legionaries placed bets on how long I’d survive on the cross?” She said abruptly.

“Ker, I-“

“I don’t remember how long it was between getting knocked out when my father fled and getting strung up. I do remember the variety of torture methods they used.” She looked down at the scars on her wrists and then traced some of the scars on her arms with one finger. “They were careful. They’d been after my father for a while and thought that I would make good bait. They wanted to keep me alive as long as possible. There are **many** ways to break a person without causing permanent damage.”

“They started to get bored when I couldn’t scream anymore.” Ker said sadly. “They argued then. The decani wanted to make me a slave. They considered me broken and felt I owed them for all the legionaries I’d killed. The centurion disagreed. He felt I was a risk, even with a bomb collar, due to my training.” She paused. “A bomb collar would have been nice.” She said wistfully. “Quick and painless. But no, I had two **more** days of hell to go. Can you not see **why** I want to forget? Or do I need to go into more **detail**?” Ker said aggressively.

“Stop. You’re strong. You don’t need alcohol to cope.”

“I didn’t. Maybe I do now. I’ve been leaning on you, Boone.” Ker said shaking her head. “I didn’t realize it until you almost died. I’ve been using you to stay grounded, to ignore the voice of my father and to manage in the west. It made things easier. But I made a mistake. I know now you aren’t strong enough for that. You’re still on the edge and when that Fiend nearly killed you, you gave up. When death drew near, the temptation was too much and all the progress you’d made became unimportant.”

“I’ve been thinking.” Ker continued as she picked up the bottle beside her, put the cap back on and started to gently swirl around the liquor inside. “And I’ve finally decided; I can’t take you with me anymore. I can’t risk your life anymore, knowing how great the temptation of death really is for you. I won’t put you in that situation.”

“It’s **my** life to risk.” Boone said angrily.

“I know but I don’t think **I’m** strong enough to watch you die.” Ker said quietly as she looked at the floor between them. “I don’t think you should go back to Novac. I think you’d fall back into bad habits there. I think you should reenlist. I think you’d do well surrounded by your friends with a new partner.” Ker grabbed her rifle and pack in her left hand and stood up without making eye contact with Boone. “I wish you all the best Boone. I really do. And I hope you find what you’re looking for. You’re welcome to stay at the Lucky 38 as long as you’d like. But you and I are finished.” Ker walked past Boone and headed to the elevator. She heard Boone move behind her.

“That’s it, then?!” Boone said angrily. “Don’t **I** get a say in this?!”

Ker turned back to Boone who was on his feet. She dropped her pack on the ground beside her, hitched her rifle up onto her shoulder and held the bottle of whiskey tightly in one hand. “By all means, Boone. I will always be your friend and I will always listen.”

“Why do **you** get to make this decision? I thought we were **partners**!” He shouted.

“I guess I’m just selfish.” Ker shrugged.

“Did you ever stop to think that maybe **I’ve** been leaning on **you**?!” He nearly shouted as he locked eyes with Ker. “That I wouldn’t be here today without your **daily** help? Do you have any idea how much **I need you**?”

“What?” Ker asked, cocking her head to the side in confusion.

“You have no **idea** how hard it is to stay sober. On our way to the Strip, Cass was **always** drinking. The smell alone was almost enough to drive me crazy. At the Atomic Wrangler, the bartender kept offering me drinks and I nearly accepted a dozen times. At McCarran, with First Recon, I wanted to drink so badly I could almost taste it. I wanted to fall back into that old routine and forget everything else. But every time, every god **dammed** time, I didn’t drink. Do you know why?” Boone asked harshly.

“Why?”

“Because my partner was relying on me to watch her back and I couldn’t do that if I was drunk.” Boone could barely keep his composure. “Every **single** morning, I wake up and try to think of a reason not to kill myself! Most mornings the only thing that keeps me from using that 9mm hollow-point in my pack is knowing that if I was gone, you’d have no one to watch your back. Because deep down I know you’d rather go it alone then try to trust someone again.”

“You’ve…!” Boone took a deep breath to tried and calm down. “You’ve given me a reason to live; a purpose I never had in Novac. And every day, you have something new you want to do. So every day I have minutes, maybe hours, of distraction. Time I actually **enjoy**. Watching you experience things for the first time makes me appreciate the little things so much more.”

“You’ve helped me in more ways than I can count. You’ve helped me get revenge. You’ve helped me help the NCR. And you took me to Bitter Springs.” He shook his head. “I don’t think I ever thanked you for that. Or for getting me out of Novac. Or for anything.”

“You don’t-“

“If you leave me now, I… I don’t know if I’ll be able to find a reason to get up in the morning.” Boone said honestly. “And I know I won’t have a reason to stay sober. In the vault…” He shook his head. “I didn’t think about you. I didn’t know you needed me. **I** was the selfish one.”

“Boone, I didn’t think... I didn’t know.” Ker said sadly.

“I’m sorry I gave up in the vault. You have my word, it will **never** happen again.”

Ker glared intently at Boone and then she sighed heavily. “I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you about this. I truly thought it was for the best.” Ker smiled sadly at her partner.

“I know.” Boone said, taking a few steps to close the gap between them. “Do you still plan on taking that bottle with you?” He asked, indicating the bottle held tightly in her hand.

“I… no.” She said and placed the bottle on a nearby ledge. In return for surrendering her once desired distraction, she was surprised to receive a small smile from Boone. She couldn’t help but smile back. “I won’t leave you behind again.”

“Thanks.”

“Now, I promised Veronica I’d cook tonight. I guess we should head up.” Ker said as she shouldered her pack.

“Is Cass really gonna make a move on me?” Boone asked with a hint of concern.

“I have no reason to doubt her.”

Boone and Ker rode the elevator up to find the Veronica, Cass and Arcade waiting for them.

“I see ya found her.” Cass chuckled.

“I didn’t go far. I promised I’d cook tonight.” Ker said as she stepped into the foyer.

“As much as that sounds delightful, I was thinking I might head out for a night on the town, maybe catch a show.” Cass said nonchalantly.  “I wouldn’t mind the company of a certain handsome defender of the NCR.” She added toward Boone with a wink.

“Not interested.” Boone said harshly.

“Hey!” Ker piped up as she punched Boone in the shoulder. “Even **I** know that’s rude!”

Boone groaned and rolled his eyes. “Sorry, Cass. I don’t think I’m up for it.” He tried again.

“A girl can dream.” Cass said with a shrug.


	18. Bad Idea

# Chapter 18: Bad Idea

 

While Ker had been checking out Cass’s caravan wrecks she had seen a few places worth investigating. After a few days of rest at the Lucky 38, she and Boone headed out east of the Strip to explore a few of those locations. They’d seen the heavily fortified, old building from a distance and approached cautiously. They got close with no problems and forced open the big door. Inside was a familiar scene; lots of people milling about in various forms of duress.

“Another refugee camp?” Ker asked.

“Looks like it.” Boone answered.

Ker sighed. “Alright. Let’s move-“

“Please you have to help them!” A man in rough farm clothes ran up to them.

Ker stepped back and looked threatening to keep the man at a distance. “Help who?” She asked harshly.

“My family!”

“You’re gonna need to be more specific. What happened to your family?”

“We were crossing into the Mojave, not far from Searchlight, when a band of Caesar's Legion slavers came out of nowhere. They took my family!” The man cried in despair.

“But **you** got away?” Ker asked skeptically.

“I... God help me, I ran! I abandoned my family to those butchers. Not a minute goes by I don't hate myself for that.”

“Coward.” Ker sighed. “I need details.”

“From what I've gathered from NCR rangers, they were most likely taken to Cottonwood Cove. You might start there.”

“Alright. We’ll see what we can do. Now **leave**.” Ker said fiercely and the cowardly man yelped and ran off. “Cottonwood Cove, huh?” Ker looked for it in her Pip-Boy. “South of Novac. On **this** side of the river? Why is there a Legion slaver camp on **this** side of the river?” Ker asked aloud. She got no usual response from her partner. A Legion slaver camp near Novac; Ker put the pieces together quickly. “Want to wipe a Legion slaver camp off the map and save some people at the same time?” Ker asked.

Boone finally met her eye. “It’s big.”

“I imagine it would have to be.” Ker agreed. “We can go look. If we think we can do it, we’ll try.” Boone was quiet. “If you don’t want to come-“

“No. Let’s go.”

They headed south quickly, trying to make good time. It still took two days to reach Novac. With the sun setting and the dinosaur in the distance, Ker spoke.

“I’ve been thinking. If we do find that man’s family we can’t just open fire from a ridge. They’ll likely be collared. The Legion will not hesitate to kill them.”

“What did you have in mind?” Boone asked.

“It’s **not** a good idea. In fact it’s probably one of the worst ideas I’ve ever had.” Ker said shaking her head. “I need to get to this family before the shooting starts; I can pop a bomb collar in less than a minute with a bobby pin. But if the Legion has dogs on patrol, sneaking in will be hard, if not impossible.”

“You’re stalling. Tell me.”

Ker sighed. “If we want to save these people, I need you to sell me to the Legion.”

“What?!” Boone said harshly.

“It would never work the **other** way around but it might work this way. You can look big and scary when you want to and a change of clothes and a helmet and I doubt they’ll recognize you.” Ker said quickly. “Put me in rags, with a few hidden supplies and I’ll look the part. My scars will actually make this even more convincing. And the meek and terrified look won’t be hard to pull off.”

“No, that’s insane! I won’t do it.” Boone said angrily.

“Alright.” Ker shrugged. “Do you have a better way to save these people?”

“We don’t need to save them.”

“I suppose we could let them die. That might be a mercy in and of itself.” Ker sighed.

“We’ll shoot from the ridge.” Boone said sternly. They camped south of Novac that night after passing around the town. The next day, in the early evening, they were set up in a vantage point above Cottonwood Cove.

“Three slaves in the pen.” Ker said quietly. “They look a little worse for wear but alive. I think I can see collars.” Ker sighed. “I have no better ideas, Boone.”

“It’s a horrible idea. We’re not doing it.”

“Then that family down there is going to die when we start shooting. I think this will work, you’ve covered me at a distance before.” Ker stated quietly. “Boone, I want to do this. I want to save those people.”

“You expect me to walk down there, have a friendly chat with the **legionaries** and then leave you at their mercy?!” Boone seethed quietly.

“Yes and I expect you to play the part.”

“No.” Boone’s tone said the conversation was over. Anyone else would back down in response to that tone.

“You and I both know what’s going to happen to that girl down there.” Ker hissed. “This is their **only** chance to get out unscathed.”

“By risking **your** life.”

“Yes. We risk our lives every day. Sometimes for less. You know I can handle myself.”

“No.”

“What if they were NCR soldiers?” Ker tried.

“They’re not.”

“What if they were? You told me it’s expected of NCR snipers to perform mercy killings. You **told** me you had to follow the orders. But you’re not **enlisted** anymore and we still have a **chance**.”

Boone was quiet for several moments. He was still prone, looking down the scope. “I’d regret losing you a whole lot more than taking this shot.” He said emotionlessly.

Ker was momentarily speechless. That was probably the sweetest thing anyone had ever said to her. God, she was messed up. “Boone, you know I’m not **allowed** to die. I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t think it would work. I know enough about the Legion and slavers to make this convincing.”

Seconds of silence passed. “And if they recognize us?”

“Then we’ll be in melee and I’ll do what I do.”

Just as the sun was starting to set, a large, rough looking man in a merc veteran outfit started down the hill toward Cottonwood cove. He was dirty and dusty from long travels though the desert. He wore sunglasses and a cowboy hat and had a rifle over his shoulder. He was well geared and very intimidating. In front of him was a small dirty woman in rags. Other than her clothes and shoes, the only thing on her was the rope tied tightly around her wrists. She was bent and bruised and kept her eyes down, only occasionally looking back to make sure she was far enough ahead of the man. He walked boldly into the Legion camp with the eyes of every legionary on him.

The decanus approached the man. “Ave. Here to trade?”

“Looking to get rid of some baggage.” He said roughly, kicking the small woman to the ground in front of him.

“Canyon Runner?” The decanus called out and another legionary came around the building.

“Stand up straight, profligate!” Canyon runner called loudly, glaring down at the young woman. The young woman’s terrified eyes turned to the large man with the rifle.

“Do it.” He said menacingly and the woman quickly got to her feet.

“Hmm. Well trained already.” Canyon Runner said with respect. He then circled the woman, looking her up and down with a critical eye. “A bit small, but there’s a deceptive strength there. Used her for labour then?” He asked.

“Mostly.” The merc grinned.

“Why are you selling?” Canyon Runner asked as he roughly grabbed the woman’s chin to inspect her face.

“Heading to the Strip.”

“I see. 300 caps. I can think of several officers who could use a slave that’s already broken in.”

“Was hoping she’d be worth more, but that sounds fair.” The merc shrugged.

“Halt, Canyon Runner.” They heard from above them.

“Is there a problem, Aurelius?” Canyon Runner asked the centurion who appeared from the second floor of the building.

“This man is traveling with a slave through NCR territory. That’s risky. What’s to say he isn’t an NCR spy here to assess our operations?” The centurion descended the stairs and stood before the merc. “Strip the slave, Canyon Runner.” Canyon Runner did as he was ordered and cut off the slave’s ragged shirt, and then knocked her to her hands and knees. All the men standing around the slave could see the brutal scars adorning her back.

“I see you use techniques similar to our own, wastelander. Was this one difficult to break or did you simply enjoy it?” The centurion asked with a smile. The merc gave him a sick smile in return. “On your feet slave!”  The slave didn’t move.

“Now.” The merc ground out and the slave quickly got to her feet.

The centurion grabbed the slave’s chin to inspect her face. “I like the look of this one. I think she’ll join me in my bed tonight. How much did you offer, Canyon Runner?”

“300.”

“Pay him 400 and send him on his way.”

“Yes, sir.”

Aurelius roughly grabbed the ropes around the slave’s wrists and started to drag her up the stairs to the second floor room. “Do **not** bother me until dawn!” He bellowed as he slammed the door behind him. Canyon Runner quickly paid the merc and sent him on his way.

“Well, well. It has been far too long since a woman has shared my bed.” Aurelius said as he pushed his slave against the closed door. “I’m hoping that profligate taught you well.” Aurelius took the machete off his belt and roughly dragged the dull edge down Ker’s bare chest. “You belong to the Legion now. Your entire fate lies in my hands. Serve me well tonight and I can make sure your suffering is minimal. Disappoint me and whatever you have suffered already will pale in comparison to my wrath.” He proceeded to roughly cut free Ker’s hands. “Now, undress me slave!” Ker did as she was told and slowly started to remove the centurion’s armour. She needed the centurion to let his guard down, she needed to addle his mind, and she needed to arouse him. She remembered how the prostitute on the strip had worked at seducing Boone. As she removed pieces of armour she brushed fingers softly against his skin and leaned her body into his.

“Hmm… you have been taught well.” The centurion hummed quietly as she removed his last piece of armour. He now stood naked except for a rough Legion skirt. He grabbed her around the shoulders and pulled her several steps back where he fell back onto the bed, pulling her down on top of him. “Pleasure me, slave.” Ker’s eyes scanned the room quickly as her hand started to rub at the centurion’s already hard manhood. On the table, beside the bed was a pencil. As she climbed on top of the centurion she grabbed the pencil. “Don’t be so hasty.” He said euphorically. “We have all night.” Ker grinded against him once then brought the pencil down into his closed eye. He started screaming. Ker shuffled forward and pinned his arms with her knees. Then she wrapped her hands around his neck and squeezed. The centurion bucked and screamed but couldn’t dislodge Ker. Soon he ran out of breath to scream. Soon after that he went limp. Ker held on until she could no longer feel his pulse, and then for ten seconds more. When she was sure he was out, she sprinted across the room to grab his discarded machete and slit his throat to be sure. Then she collapsed to the floor against the bed to collect herself.

She wasn’t sure how long she sat, just staring into space, but eventually she pulled herself to her feet and started searching the room. First on her list was a shirt. She couldn’t find one and had to settle for a set of Legion recruit armour. Next she found some scrap metal. In a desk drawer she found something surprising. She scooped the items from the desk into a pillow case and left it by the door. Weapon wise, she could only find the centurion’s machete. It would have to do. She psyched herself up several times, trying to shake off the melancholy that had settled over her. She then checked the door; it was full dark out. Carefully she snuck out the door.

Boone lay prone in his vantage point after sunset. He was back in his normal clothes with his beret on his head, looking down his rifle, waiting for **any** sign from Ker. His scope was trained on the door the centurion had gone into. Every few minutes he’d scan the rest of the camp. He checked his watch. It had now been half an hour. How long was he supposed to wait before he just started shooting? They hadn’t discussed that.

Why had he even let her **do** this? Knowing she was in there, unarmed with a centurion made his skin crawl. Knowing he’d **left** her there made his stomach turn. It wasn’t supposed to work out this way. Ker was supposed to be thrown in the pen with the other slaves, so she could get the bomb collars off of everyone. Then Boone was supposed to start shooting. Ker could be dead already for all he knew, or the centurion could be forcing himself on her. Either thought made the bile rise up in his throat.

Lying where he was now, looking down his scope for a woman in Cottonwood Cove, was almost too much. Too many thoughts were flying through his mind; too many emotions fighting to surface. He took a deep breath and tried to focus. He couldn’t wait any longer. Boone started steadying his breathing and picked out a target. He checked the door one last time only to see it move. He held his breath as he saw someone in Legion armour and ragged pants slip through the door. He let out a sigh of relief and looked around to see if she’d been noticed. He watched as she slit the throat of the one called Canyon Runner and then watched as she looted the body.

With key in hand, Ker crept to the slave pen and unlocked the gate. One of the women went to speak and she quickly silenced them with a gesture. One by one, she unlocked the collars with the bits of scrap metal she had gathered and threw them aside. She signaled for them to follow and gave Boone the signal to shoot. With Boone providing cover, the group of four was able to find a decent spot to wait out the attack. Eventually Ker found a gun on a body and joined in.

Soon the shooting stopped. Ker assumed it was clear and directed the family up the hill while she quickly looted the camp. With her sack from Aurelius’s room full and over one shoulder she ran to catch up with the family. She caught up to them easily and directed them over to where Boone should be.

She came up on the vantage point and saw Boone just sitting up. “Clear?” She panted.

“Clear.” He confirmed. “Are you alright?”

Ker could easily hear the stain and raw emotion in his voice. “I just need a moment.” She said, sitting down nearby.

“Who are you people?” The older woman asked.

“Shh…Quiet. Not now.” Ker said as she leaned back and sprawled out on her back.

“You’re not alright.” Boone growled. “What happened?”

“Nothing happened.” Ker said, with eyes closed as she lay in the dirt and focused on breathing.

“Ker.” Boone said angrily.

“The centurion wanted exactly what he said.” Ker answered roughly. “I played along until I had my opportunity.”

“He didn’t…” Boone started.

“No. I killed him first.”

“You were in there a while.”

“I had to… collect myself. I lost track of time.”

“I will **never** do that again.” Boone said sternly.

“I won’t ask you too.” Ker said quietly.

Boone looked over at the confused family. “Get comfortable. We’ll take you somewhere safe when she’s ready.”

Ker ended up falling asleep where she was lying but not for very long. The nightmare was almost immediate; her mind filling in what could have happened with what did happen years ago.

“Ker!” Ker finally roused to the stern voice and sat up quickly.

“What…?” She asked rubbing her eyes.

“You fell asleep.”

“Sorry.” She said as she noticed she was still in Legion armour. She quickly got to her feet and got back in her usual gear. “Let’s see if anyone on the crosses is still alive.” She said as she laced up her boots. Her mind was muddled. She wanted nothing more than to curl up under a rock and hide from the world for a while. But that would be pointless. It was best if she focused on what needed to be done. “You three stay here. We’ll be back.” She said as she rooted through her pack and tossed some food to the family.

Boone kept a close eye on Ker as he followed her to the crosses. The first two were dead. The third was weak, but Ker could see the fire still burning in her eyes as they approached her.

“Wh…” The woman in rags on the cross started. She struggled to continue. “Who are you?”

“Better question; who are **you**?” Ker said as she shimmied up the cross.

The woman hesitated. “…Mia.”

“What’d you do to end up here?” Ker asked as she pulled out her knife to cut the ropes. “Can’t see the Legion stringing up a strong looking slave.”

The slightest of grins came to Mia’s face. “Poisioned…” She started coughing.

“Boone?” Ker prompted from where she was. Boone was already ready to help Mia down. Ker cut the ropes and Boone caught Mia. Ker hopped down, pulled out her canteen and passed it to Mia who had one arm over Boone’s shoulder to help her stay upright. “Small sips.” Ker instructed. Mia nodded in reply. “Who’d you poison?”

Mia drank slowly then smiled again. “Everyone. Silverleaf Nightshade berries, crushed up in the water supply.”

“Silverleaf Nightshade?” Ker said as she thought. “That would cause…” Ker trailed off and then smiled wickedly. “Damn, that would have been **fun** to see.”

“What?” Boone asked.

“Silverleaf Nightshade berries are highly poisonous.” Ker explained. “Ingesting them leads to diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.”

“Whole camp was out of commission for days.” Mia said tiredly.

“Let’s get you somewhere you can rest.” Ker led the way back to the family as Boone helped Mia walk. The older woman of the family, the mother Ker assumed, volunteered to treat Mia’s wounds. Ker and Boone continued checking the last crosses.

“Fuck me.” Came from the last cross when they came into view. “Of all the people in the desert who could come by, I get a First Recon murderer.”

Ker saw Boone flinch at the remark as she looked between him and the man on the cross. She vaguely recognized his outfit. “You’re a Great Khan?”

“And proud of it.” The khan said angrily. “Here to kill me?”

“Actually we’re here to rescue you but now that you mention it…” Ker said pensively.

“Figures.”

“Ker.” Boone said roughly.

“I know, I know.” She said hastily as she headed to the cross to climb it. “I still haven’t decided whether or not I want to kill all you bastards for what you did to me.”

“Who the hell are you?” The Khan asked angrily.

“I’m the courier.”

“Well… shit.” The Khan sighed in realization. “Guess I’m fucked.”

“Not necessarily.” Ker said from her perch up on the cross. “Got a proposition for you; you play nice, we escort you somewhere safe.” The khan grimaced. Ker shrugged and cut the ropes holding him up. The Khan managed to land on his feet but staggered forward. Whether instinctual or intentional, Boone reached out to steady him.

The Khan managed to keep his feet under him and viciously slapped away Boone’s hand. “Fuck you and the NCR.” He seethed as he glared at Boone.

“Now, now. You need to play nice.” Ker said as she landed beside the cross.

“I don’t need help from a child killing **monster**.” The Khan said as he stood up straight and locked eyes with Boone.

“You’re unarmed, injured and exhausted. You need any help you can get.” Ker said aggressively as she stepped between the Khan and Boone. It didn’t have quite the intended effect since the two men could glare at each other over her head. Ker reached up, grabbed the Khan’s shirt collar and violently pulled him down to her level. “Last chance. We’re camping nearby until dawn then heading to Forlorn Hope and Novac.”

The Khan snarled and tried to knock Ker’s hands off him to no avail. “I’ll be fine alone.”

Ker was getting annoyed. She wanted to just let him wander off to his death. But judging by Boone’s lack of response to the verbal abuse he was taking, Ker had a feeling he would prefer to see the Khan live. “You **do** realize that the Legion will find out about this very quickly, right?” Ker began. “And when they do, they’ll send legionaries to track us. You think you can outrun them? Cause my money’s on the Legion. The **only** chance you have is our rifles.” Ker released the Khan’s collar and looked over her shoulder at her partner. “Come on, Boone; let’s head back to the others.”

Boone looked between Ker and the Khan. He sighed and nodded to Ker. They walked away, side by side, leaving the Khan to his decision.

“Pretty bold; insulting the person who can rescue you. Bold and stupid.” Ker snorted. Boone didn’t reply. Ker just sighed. They walked back to the makeshift camp and their four new dependants. Ker sat down and pulled out all the food and water she had to share with everyone.

“I can't ever thank you enough for saving me and mine!” The mother said happily as she took some food and water.

“It wasn’t easy.” Ker muttered.

“Thank you again! I don't know that we'll ever be able to repay you, but we'll do our best, one day once I've found a place to settle.” The mother assured Ker.

“Alright. Your husband is waiting for you near the Strip.” Ker said offhandedly.

“That man knows where we are?” The mother said in fear. “At least he's too much of a coward to come after us himself. What if he'd ended up in that pen with us?”

“He was hurting you?” Ker asked.

“Ever since he lost his job a few years back he hasn't been the same. He took a switch to us for the tiniest things. We were trying to get away when the legion showed up. I'm glad he ran off like a coward, but slavery wasn't the kind of escape I was looking for.” The mother sighed.

“Well I guess you’ll need somewhere else to go.” Ker thought for a moment. “The followers have an outpost in Freeside. Will that do?”

“Yes! Of course!”

“Alright.” Ker heard some rocks shift in the distance as she spoke. She glanced over and saw the Khan sit down a bit away from the group. Ker picked up a can of beans and hurled it at his face. Sadly he caught it before it could hit him. “Got a name, Khan?”

“Anders.” He responded coldly.

“What got you strung up?” Ker asked.

“A Legion patrol caught me trying to cross the river. When they found the, umm, package I was carrying, they strung me up there.” He admitted.

“Ah.. Smuggling.” Ker knew the Legion’s stance on drugs.

“Well, not exactly. More like... trying to expand our markets. I heard there was a lot of untapped territory down south, but the Legion caught me.”

The group sat mostly in silence for the hour it took for the sky to start to lighten. The family whispered among themselves while they ate but Mia and Anders were silent. Ker and Boone kept watch.

“Alright let’s head out.” Ker broke the silence when it was bright enough to travel. Mia needed help to walk and the family quickly agreed to take turns helping her. Anders was fine to walk on his own.

They walked in relative silence for several hours before Ker stopped abruptly in the late morning sun. “I should go find a spot to wait for the Legion.” She said as she glanced toward the hills.

“I’ll come with you.” Boone said.

“Fine, but we should split up.” With that, Ker jogged off toward the hills.

“Hey! Wait a minute!” Anders shouted in order to get Boone’s attention before he left. “You can’t leave me here to guard these people **unarmed**.”

Boone glared at the Khan. He walked over until he was only a few steps from Anders. He pulled his combat knife off his belt and threw it into the sand between them.

“Oh, gee, **thanks**.” Anders said sarcastically as he bent to retrieve the knife.

Boone then turned and headed to find a vantage point.

Ker had been right. The Legion had indeed sent legionaries after the escapees but with Ker and Boone in the hills and the element of surprise on their side, even two dozen legionaries wasn’t enough. Boone headed back to the group with his rifle over his shoulder. He had surveyed the area before leaving his vantage point and seen no other threats. As he approached the group he noticed it only consisted of Mia and the family. The Khan was nowhere in sight. Maybe he took the chance to head out on his own, Boone assumed. His assumption remained the same until he was close enough to see the worried looks on the family’s faces.

“What-“ Boone began but was interrupted by a tackle from behind. He managed to keep his footing but an unexpected right cross to the jaw dazed him. A moment later, he was on the ground on his back with Anders sitting on his chest with his own combat knife pressed against his throat. His rifle lay in the dirt just out of reach and Ander’s leg was blocking Boone’s sidearm.

Anders laughed. “Looks like the rumors are true; First Recon is **useless** in a fist fight.” Boone didn’t answer and he didn’t struggle; the knife was pressed dangerously hard against his throat. “First, I’m gonna slit your throat. Then I’m gonna take that rifle and **burn** it. And **then** , I’m gonna take that stupid hat home and mount-“ Anders was interrupted by a small body crashing into his side, knocking him off Boone. The knife, having been so tightly pressed into his throat, caught in his flesh and he felt the sting of the steel. Boone clamped a hand over the bleeding, unsure of how bad it was, and then scrambled toward his rifle. By the time he was on his feet, Ker was on top of Anders with the knife raised high, ready to administer a coup de gras.

“Ker!” Boone yelled. The knife stopped inches from Anders’s throat.

“You **can’t** be serious!” Ker yelled back, briefly glancing over her shoulder at Boone. “He tried to kill you!”

“Let him go.” Boone said quietly.

“And if I choose to kill him?” Ker asked angrily.

Boone sighed loudly. “Ker… **please**.”

Ker hesitated, looking down at the defiant Khan. “ **Fine**! But if he tries to kill **me** , he’ll be dead before he hits the ground.” Ker seethed as she got up. She walked a few feet away from their little group to let off some steam.

“This doesn’t change **anything** , First Recon!” Anders said as he sat up. “You’re still a child killing monster.”

“Oh for fuck’s sake, **shut up**!” Ker yelled from where she was. “If you say another goddamned word, I swear on my mother’s **grave** I will cut out your tongue!” Ker walked back to the group. “Now let’s get moving. I want to be rid of you as soon as possible.” Ker then headed off in the direction of Forlorn Hope. No one said a word. Boone applied a Stimpak to his neck then jogged to catch up with Ker.

“Don’t let it bother you.” Ker finally said after a mile of silence. Beside her, Boone didn’t respond. “It’s just childish name calling. If it makes you feel any better, my hands are just as bloodstained as yours.

“It’s not the same.” Boone snorted derisively.

“You think I’ve never killed women and children?” Boone’s head shot up in surprise at Ker’s words. Ker looked away from him to the road ahead. “Women are fair game in my eyes. They can be as bad as any man. And children…” Ker trailed off.

“Ker.” Boone said angrily through gritted teeth. “You better finish that sentence.”

Ker looked back over at Boone. She noted his angry glare and focused him with one of her own. “What?! You think I’d let the ten year old legion brat whose father was teaching him how to properly slit a throat live? How about the one who happily played in the gore after dismembering a slave? Not all children are innocent, Boone; the Legion sees to that. And how can you expect them to recover from **that**?” Boone gave a heavy sigh. After several moments of silence, Ker continued quietly. “And then there was the blond boy.”

“Who? Evander?” Boone asked, still unsettled by Ker’s admission.

“No. I don’t know his name. Don’t know how old he was either. And I never even saw his face.” Ker focused on the road ahead as she spoke. “I don’t know what he did; most kids that young get taken away to be trained as legionaries, but not him. He must have done something, or maybe it was to set an example.” Ker wondered aloud. “Either way, the Legion crucified him. When I first saw him, he’d probably been up there the whole morning. I spent the rest of the day trying to find a viable way of assaulting the camp. But it was no use. Alone, I had no chance of taking on a camp that size. I don’t know how long I spent staring at that dirty mop of blond hair through my scope. And then I pulled the trigger.” Ker looked over at Boone who was staring intently at her. “War makes us all monster, Boone. But better us than them, right?” Ker said as she indicated the family whispering happily several feet behind them.  “We shoulder terrible burdens, so others won’t have to.”

They reached Forlorn Hope just as the sun was setting. Surprisingly, the major came out to meet them.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the courier and the sniper.” He said loudly. “Word on the wire is Cottonwood Cove is Legion-free. I take it you two had something to do with that?”

“I’m here to make you a deal.” Ker began tiredly as she pulled the sack out of her pack. “I’ll give you what’s in this sack, in exchange for your hospitality for a night, safe passage for the Weathers to Freeside and medical treatment for Mia.”

“Oh? And what exactly is in this sack that I’ll want?” The major asked.

“Take a look.” She said passing the sack over. The major looked in the sack and the happy expression on his face disappeared. He took a step closer to a nearby table and dumped the contents on it.

“There must be dozens of dog tags here.” The major said grimly.

“The centurion in Cottonwood Cove was collecting them. I thought you’d rather have them.” Ker said tiredly.

“You have a bargain, courier.” The major said sadly. “I’ll have someone escort the Weathers to Freeside tomorrow and Doc Richards will see to Mia. Until then you are all welcome to stay here.”

Ker nodded and trudged off to find an empty tent. Boone followed closely. When they found a tent, Ker went inside and shrugged out of her pack, not bothering to catch it before it hit the dirt. She pulled her rifle off her shoulder and crawled into the bed without disarming. Boone did much the same. Both were lost in their own minds, oblivious to the suffering of the other.


	19. Darkness

# Chapter 19: Darkness

 

Ker didn’t wake up screaming to a nightmare solely because she didn’t sleep. She knew her mind well enough that she knew exactly where it would wander to when she closed her eyes. Instead of sleeping she tried to focus on something as far removed from her nightmares as possible. She tried to focus on a time when she was **happy**. After a few hours, she realized that was harder than she’d hoped. There were vague memories of her mother but what little she remembered was mostly her memory of events, not the events themselves. She knew her mother had read to her but she didn’t know what was read or where or when. She only remembered that because she remembered thinking about it often during her time with her father. Whatever the details may have been were long lost to her. She remembered working in the town’s garden with the other children but she didn’t remember who the other children were or what was in the garden. Time spent with her father offered little in the way of good memories. At the time, she had taken pride in pleasing her father. Now she knew better. Now she knew she was nothing more than his puppet. Any good memories from then just made her uncomfortable now. Then there was her time spent alone. There had been little to be happy about then. A few months ago she had crossed the river into the west for the first time. One would think that would leave her with better memories but mostly it just left her confused and just as alone as ever. And finally there was her most recent memories; those which featured her new partner, Boone.

Ker contemplated rolling over to look at her new partner as the thought crossed her mind. She decided against it; it had been hard enough to get comfortable with all her gear still on. Boone; the best thing to ever happen to her. She gritted her teeth and squeezed her eyes closed tightly at the thought. She was still trying to come to terms with that thought. She’d tried to weasel her way out of the situation when she’d realized how much he meant to her; how much she was starting to rely on his presence. She hadn’t realized that he’d come to rely on her as well. So now she was stuck. It was true that the situation was mutually beneficial but that wasn’t the only reason she was stuck here. She wanted to see him happy. She didn’t even know if that was **possible**. The only time she’d seen him content, the **only** time she’d seen him let his guard down was when he thought she was Carla. Carla seemed to be the only thing that made him happy. But Carla… Ker’s mind flashed back to her time spent with the Legion. She curled up tighter and willed him mind blank. She growled quietly, trying to be angry instead of sad. First Jeannie May, now the encounter with the Centurion, it had brought everything too close to the surface. She was having trouble focusing; the single minded determination and staunch self-reliance she’d had in the east had given way to her currently conflicted mind that only functioned with her partner’s support. She didn’t like it. She felt weak. She would never be weak again. **Was** it weak to rely on someone else? Even her father had relied on her to some extent.

The more time she spent with her new partner, the more attached she became. She knew what love was, or rather, the romantic notion of love. Love: the all encompassing, all consuming affection for another. The willingness to put another person’s desires before your own. The wholehearted dedication to another. She saw all this in Boone’s love for Carla. A true example of love anyone would long for. Ker knew she did. She was falling in love with her partner, knowing full well he could never, **would** never reciprocate. Ker was not Carla and Carla was Boone’s sole desire. And so, for Boone’s sake, Ker mentally scratched a line in the sand; one she would **never** cross, unless she was invited over it. She didn’t expect that to ever happen though.

Boone lay awake facing the tent wall. He knew better than to try and sleep now, with his emotions so close to the surface. But he needed sleep. What he **really** needed was a drink, well more like several drinks; probably a whole bottle. He desperately craved a release from the agony that kept him awake. Even just the temporary release the alcohol brought.

He stared unblinking at the tent wall. Every time he closed his eyes he saw Carla as he’d last seen her; through his scope. He lost his wife and child in Cottonwood Cove and now, he’d almost lost Ker the same way. He **never** should have left her go down into that camp. It was a bad decision. It was his job to keep her safe and he’d handed her over to the Legion; to the same mongrels he’d killed his wife to save her from.

Ker was the only thing that mattered to him in this nightmare of a world. She was the only thing keeping him from self destructing. The only reason he’d even agreed to the plan was because she was so dead set on rescuing the family. She had pleaded with him, trying to convince him, and he couldn’t say no. He couldn’t say no to her. He couldn’t watch her suffer through losing people they still had a chance to save. He knew it would harden her heart again and he couldn’t watch that happen. She’d come so far from the bitter and angry young woman he’d met in Novac. To see her go back to that… it would destroy him. It seemed that their partnership had woven their fates together, whatever they may be. Bound by bonds of trust, to a woman, he cared about. That hit too close to home.

Boone needed some air. Quietly, he sat up and glanced over at Ker. She didn’t react to his movement so he assumed she was asleep. He got up, picked up his rifle that was leaning against the cot and headed out into the night. The camp was quiet. There were guards on patrol but everyone else was asleep. There was one campfire burning over by the cliffs that lead down to the river. He headed in that direction. Around the fire were two obviously drunk troopers.

“Hey! ‘irst Recon!” One greeted happily as he approached. Boone nodded back.

“Shuddup, Perky! You wanna wake up the whole camp?!” The other chastised quietly.

“But it’s-“ The trooper stopped at the glare from his friend and continued more quietly. “It’s First Recon!”

“He has a name, you know.” The other trooper rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, but I forget it.” The drunker one lamented. “I’m sure our **great** morale officer remembers it though. Ain’t that right, Sexy?”

The more sober one face palmed. “It was Boone, alright? Craig Boone. Speaking of which, feel free to join us, sir.” Boone nodded and took up a spot on a log opposite the two troopers around the fire. “I’m Sexton and that drunken asshole over there is Perkins.” Sexton introduced. “Hear you had one hell of a night yesterday.” Sexton said conversationally as he reached behind him.

“Remind me… never to piss off… anyone from First Recon.” Perkins slurred.

“I hear ya, Perky. Even the Rangers are talking about it.” Sexton finally found what he was looking for behind him and tossed it over the fire to Boone. Boone almost missed catching the bottle in his surprise. “It’s on us. S’not everyday you get to drink with a legend.”

Boone looked at the bottle in his hand. He rolled the bottle over to read the label but he didn’t need to. The bottle felt right in his hand; he knew it was whiskey. Without a single conscious thought, his hands moved and twisted the cap off the bottle. The smell alone was almost intoxicating and for a moment everything but the smell faded away. He lifted the bottle to his lips but jerked to a stop before it got there. Ker needed him. He needed to be sober. But he couldn’t help Ker if he didn’t get any sleep. Just **one** night without the nightmares was all he needed. She’d understand. She knew what it was like. He raised the bottle to his lips.

Boone didn’t hear the fast footsteps rushing toward him but his sure felt the impact when someone tackled him from the side. He and his attacker crashed to the dirt but they were closer to the cliff then either realized and their momentum carried them over the edge. The slope was steep and slick with loose sand. Boone began sliding and had no way to stop himself. The journey down the slope was jarring and violent; he had no idea how many rocks he hit. Just when he thought it had to be over, the ground fell out from under him and he found himself airborne. He braced for the coming impact only to crash into the cold water of the river. It took him a moment to orientate himself underwater before he managed to burst through the surface and gasp for air. From his spot in the river he could see the steep hills on both banks. He saw no sign of his attacker, so he swam toward the west shore. He was wading toward the shore when he heard something break through the surface of the water downstream; his attacker, he assumed. He reached for his rifle and gritted his teeth when he realized it wasn’t there; he must have lost it on his journey down the slope. So he drew his pistol. His attacker crawled out of the water on all fours, coughing up water. In the dark, he didn’t recognize them, but her size gave her away.

“What the **hell** , Ker?!” Boone roared, lowering his pistol. Ker kept coughing, but tried to speak anyways. He couldn’t understand her, so he waited. When she finally caught her breath, she said whatever she’d said again, only it was much too soft for Boone to hear. “What are you saying?” He roared back in anger.

Ker stumbled slightly as she got to her feet. “You should have **said** something!” She roared back.

“What?” Boone said loudly, a bit confused.

“You **know** I’m bad at reading people! You **know** I can’t tell what you’re thinking!” Ker shouted before hesitating. She continued more quietly. “You **can** ask for help you know.” Ker considered very carefully. She sighed as she walked closer to Boone. “Cottonwood Cove hit us both hard. But it needed to be done and I’m glad we were the ones to do.” She stopped when she was within arm’s reach of Boone but she didn’t make eye contact with him. “In these last few months, you’ve turned things around. You’ve gone from drinking yourself to death in that shithole town to waging a campaign of terror against the Legion. And in the process you’ve saved a lot of lives.” Ker took a deep breath. “I never met Carla but I think she’d be proud of you.” Ker kept her eyes on her boots. “Even though it was difficult, even though you were struggling, you still did the right thing.”

Boone scoffed at that. “A murderer who does good deeds is still a murderer.”

Ker followed Boone’s leap back to Bitter Springs. “And yet she still loved you.”

“Only because…” Boone hesitated. “She didn’t know.”

Ker looked up at Boone in surprise. “What?”

“I… never told her about Bitter Springs.” He said quietly. “I wanted to, I just… couldn’t.”

Ker snorted in almost laughter. Judging by Boone’s angry head jerk, it was not the reply he was expecting. Ker spoke before he could. “And you think that means she didn’t **know**?”

“What?” Boone asked automatically in surprise.

“Boone, there are a **lot** ways she could have found out. Unless you mean to tell me in you never had a nightmare when she was around. Because when you do, you tend to talk in your sleep. If that didn’t give you away, you told me you met her on the Strip, where she would have been surrounded by NCR soldiers. You think she never heard a rumor or a whisper? You think none of her friends took her aside to tell her about what she was getting into after they saw her hanging off your arm?” Ker snorted again. “Thinking she **didn’t** know is an insult to her intelligence.”

“She knew…” Boone whispered incredulously to himself.

“You’re damn right she did.” Ker smirked in the darkness. “And she **still** picked you. When I said she’d be proud of you, I meant it. There’s no way she wouldn’t be. You have every reason to fall apart, to give up. Yet here you are, still struggling forward. Still doing everything you can to help people. Still teaching the Legion what they get for messing with a First Recon sniper’s family. You’re still **trying** and I’ll be damned before I let you throw it all away on a whim over a bottle of alcohol.” Ker had trouble reading Boone’s expression. After a few moments of silence she continued. “Although I guess I didn’t need to tackle you quite that hard. I could’ve sworn that cliff was further away.”

“Ker.” Boone finally said softly.

“We should probably head back. Those two-“ Ker cut herself off and jerked her head to look towards the slight sound she’d heard.

“What-“ Ker silenced Boone with a hand over his mouth and with her other hand she guided him toward a shadow near the cliff. Kneeling in the shadow, Ker strained to see in the near total darkness. She finally heard it again. She motioned for Boone to stay where he was and she disappeared up the cliff. With a slight height advantage she managed to make out two shadows blocking out the starlight’s faint reflection on the river. Her mind screamed Legion but she couldn’t be sure. With practiced precision, she silently made her way toward the edge. Without hesitation she threw herself at the second shadow. Ker’s hands landed close to the shoulders of her target. It only took a fraction of a second to feel the slick plastic and stiff material of sports equipment.

“Legion!” She said as she slipped around the legionary’s arm and plunged her knife between the folds of material. When the legionary went limp she hopped back and lit up her Pip-Boy. The sickly green glow illuminated the shore of the river just in time for Boone to unload his 9mm into the second legionary’s chest. Ker flicked off the Pip-boy’s light and slipped back beside Boone.

“We should get back to camp.” Ker said very quietly.

“Can’t.” Boone said in the same hushed voice. “This slope is deadly in the dark. It’s the reason the NCR picked this location.”

“And the light would make us perfect targets.” Ker growled slightly.

“This way.” As he spoke, Ker felt a solid hand on her shoulder guiding her forward. She moved as directed. “Got a good look before you put the light out.” They moved down the river in the direction the legionaries had come from, careful not to trip over the bodies. About ten feet down the river was a large boulder that provided a sheltered alcove. “We can wait here until dawn.”

Ker nodded in reply and then realized he probably couldn’t see it. “Agreed.” She whispered back. The alcove was maybe five feet across. Ker sat to one side with her back against the rock. Boone sat on the other side.

“Sorry I got us into this.” Ker whispered as she wrapped her arms around herself and tried to keep out the cold Mojave air.

“I’ve gotten you into worse.” Boone replied quietly. Ker thought she heard a smirk in his voice. Even though they were only a few feet apart, Ker couldn’t see her partner. They sat quietly as the night wore on. Ker tried to keep warm but the air around her and the rock beneath her were cold and she was still in wet clothes. She tried not to shiver.

“Are you cold?” Came a gravelly voice from the darkness.

“I’m fine.” Ker replied but couldn’t keep the shiver out of her voice. She heard Boone move and a moment later felt a gently probing hand on her shoulder. Then she felt him sit down beside her and the hand that had found her shoulder slipped over her shoulders then pulled her towards him. Ker was immediately struck by how warm he was, even in his own wet clothes. Unconsciously, she pulled in closer to him.

“Dammit. You’re freezing.” He said with evident concern.

“How are you so warm?” Ker asked incredulously. They sat together, Boone with Ker wrapped in his arms, for several minutes.

“You said Cottonwood Cove hit us **both** hard.” Boone said into the darkness.

Ker thought for a second. “I… **might** be struggling too.”

“I never should’ve let you go down into that camp.” Boone said angrily.

“I wasn’t worried.” Ker mumbled. “Had my partner watching my back. But…” Ker hesitated. “My nightmares are getting worse. I’ve been thinking though; I want to take a break when we get back to the Strip. I want to go out and do something **fun**.”

“Fun? What’d you have in mind?”

“I have no idea.” Ker sighed. “But life isn’t just about killing the Legion.” Ker yawned tiredly. “Maybe Veronica will have an idea.”

“Get some sleep. I’ll keep watch… for what it’s worth.” Boone said quietly.

“No way.” Ker said with a smirk. “The **last** time I fell asleep in your arms, you woke up thinking I was Carla.”

“The **last** time?! In the vault?” Boone asked in surprise.

Ker made a noise of affirmation. “You lost a lot of blood. Your lips started to turn blue and you were freezing. So I did this to help warm you up.” She explained. “Didn’t mean to fall asleep.” Ker paused for a moment. “You woke me thinking I was Carla. You thought you were back in Novac. You were acting like a totally different person.” Ker sighed. “But I make a poor substitute for Carla and you caught on quick that there was something wrong. Luckily, getting mad tired you out and you passed out again.”

Boone swallowed hard. He didn’t remember any of that. “I… don’t remember. Sorry.”

“It’s fine. Just don’t do it again.” Ker said roughly then continued more quietly. “To see you look at me with such love and happiness in your eyes and know it wasn’t directed at me; that hurt. Maybe someday, someone will look at me that way again, only then I’ll know it’s really **me** they’re looking at.” She snorted softly. “Doubtful. But a girl can dream, right?” Ker yawned again. “Think I’ll take you up on that offer, Boone. Don’t think I’ll ever get this chance again.” Tiredly, Ker shifted and snuggled in close to Boone, and then she rested her head against his shoulder. She knew she was toeing the line. Just this once, she promised herself.

Boone listened as Ker fell asleep in his arms. He gave a long sigh, careful not to wake his partner. He’d been furious when he realized it was her who tackled him over the ledge and into the river. That anger dissipated quickly when she gave her explanation. He hadn’t realized how bitter he was over the fact that he’d never told Carla about Bitter Spring. He’d always wanted too, always **meant** to, but he never wanted to spoil the moment and deep down he was worried what she would think of him when she found out. It had never even occurred to him that Carla might have known all along. The more he thought back on it, the more he remembered the soft smiles and gentle glances she offered him when he spoke about his time in the military. He never considered she was prompting him to tell her everything, to trust her with the whole truth. It made him feel worse for not telling her. But Ker was right; there were many ways Carla could have learned about Bitter Springs. And if she knew and **still** loved him… Boone couldn’t suppress the smile that came to his lips at that thought.

And then there was Ker. His partner. The woman he spent almost every minute of every day with. The woman who risked everything to save him from the Legion after Bitter Springs. The woman he currently held in his arms. He should be uncomfortable, being this… intimate with a woman other than his wife. _As much as you loved her, Carla is gone. The vows you made when you got married were likely until death._ Ker was right. He didn’t remember all the vows he’d made when he’d gotten married. At the time, he’d been so nervous that he’d mess up the words that most of the ceremony was a blur. He did remember that last part. … _Till death do us part._ If he’d been the one to die, he wanted Carla to remarry when she found the right person. He didn’t want her to be alone.

He’d been alone for a long time in Novac. Alone amongst a flock of sheep, with a wolf on the prowl amongst them all. Alone, until another wolf came along. Now he wasn’t alone. He had the companionship and unwavering dedication of one of the strongest people he’d ever met.

Carla was gone. He knew that. But what would she think if she saw him now? He remembered her soft smile and gentle gaze. Maybe… maybe she would understand.

Boone gently shook the woman in his arms. “Ker, the sun’s rising.”

“Huh?” She said tiredly as she rubbed her eyes.

“We can head back to camp now.” Boone reiterated.

“Oh! Right!” Ker agreed. She looked up at Boone from where she still lay against him, cradled in his arms. Their eyes met for a moment and Ker was entranced by her partner’s emerald eyes illuminated by the morning sun.

“Uh… Ker?” Boone prompted after a moment.

Ker gave a meek yelp and broke eye contact with Boone before pulling out of his arms. “Sorry Boone. Still half asleep.” She said as she got to her feet and shook her head clear.

“Should try and find my rifle.” Boone replied, ignoring the moment he got to see those bright grey eyes.

“Your rifle?” Ker asked in confusion.

“Lost it on the ride down the hill.”

“Oh. I’m sure we can find it.” Ker assured.

In the new morning light they checked the legionaries’ bodies and then started up the hill. With two sets of keen eyes on the lookout, they easily found Boone’s rifle in a bush halfway down the hill. Once the sun had fully risen, they reached the top and headed for the camp. A disheveled trooper ran out to meet them.

“Son of a bitch! **There** you are!” The trooper panted when he reached them. “I was just about to tell the major you were missing! What the hell happened? One second you were there, the next you weren’t. Perkins thought he’d offended you but I checked the spare tents and only found a pair of packs and a rifle. I’ve been looking everywhere for you!” With his rant over, Sexton noticed Boone wasn’t alone. Both he and the woman accompanying him were in damp and wrinkled clothes and looked exhausted. Sexton’s mind went where most soldiers’ would go. “Oh, fuck. I mean… shit.” Sexton shook his thoughts clear before her tried again. “I mean sorry! Just leave a goddamned boot outside the tent next time, will you?!” Muttering, Sexton threw up his hands in surrender and turned to walk away.

“Sexton.” Boone called before the moral officer got too far away. The trooper stopped and turned back toward Boone. “Thanks for the drink. It… helped clear my head.”

Sexton snorted back. “Next time, you’re buying.” Then he headed back to camp.

“Wait.” Ker said once he was gone. “Did he think…?”

“Yup.” Boone answered.

“Out in the desert?!” Ker asked in surprise.

“Yup.”

“Wouldn’t that get sand, like, **everywhere**?”

“Yup.”


	20. Poison

# Chapter 20: Poison

 

Ker sat alone at a picnic table under the morning sun. On the table in front of her was Boone’s rifle, in pieces. She’d already cleaned and dried her own guns and had now moved on to getting the sand out of Boone’s rifle’s firing mechanism. A tricky and delicate task to be sure. Even a single grain left in the firing mechanism could lead to an untimely jam. Before Boone had headed back to their tent to get some actual sleep, Ker had asked for his rifle, offering her own in exchange to sit by Boone’s bed where his usually sat. He had hesitated for only a moment before agreeing.

Ker however, wasn’t tired in the least. She’d gotten out of her wet clothes and then left Boone in peace. She’d been at the picnic table for a few hours now and had been left undisturbed.

“Excuse me, miss?”

Ker was so focused on her work she hadn’t heard anyone approach. She snapped her head up and looked at the unfamiliar woman standing nearby.

“Sorry to startle you, but Major Polatli said we’d be heading out shortly and I wanted to thank you before we left.”

Ker cocked her head to the side as she tried to identify the woman. “Oh, Mia!” She said when realization set in. Clean and adequately dressed Mia looked like a whole different person.

“Kenny and Sammy told me about the risk you took to get into the Legion camp. I still can’t believe someone would do something like that to help strangers.” Mia said contemplatively.

“It was a bad idea.” Ker said shaking her head. “I don’t think we’ll be using that plan again.”

“I understand. I’ve decided to head to Freeside with the Weathers. I don’t think there’s a way we can possibly repay you for what you’ve done, but if I can ever be of use, just ask.” Mia said with a smile.

“Alright.” Ker replied.

“And thank your partner for me as well.”

“I will.”

“Take care.” Mia said and with a wave left Ker alone again.

Ker was testing the freshly oiled and reinstalled slide in Boone’s rifle when she heard cheers erupting near the other edge of camp. Hopping up on the table gave her a view over the tents and let her see what the cheering was about. There was a small group of soldiers arriving at the camp. She couldn’t make out their faces but the red berets gave them away.

Ker gathered up all the items on the table and headed for their tent.

“Boone.” She greeted as she pulled aside the heavy tent flat and let the sun shine in. She saw Boone rub at his eyes then sit up with a grunt. Ker secured the tent flap and headed inside. “Looks like First Recon has finally been relocated here. They just arrived.” Ker continued as she swapped out her rifle beside Boone’s cot with his own. “Figured you might wanna catch up.” Ker grabbed her pack then left Boone alone to get ready.

She headed back to the picnic table. She sat down and pulled out some lunch and another book they had found; Tæles of Chivalrie. There were a lot of things she didn’t understand in the book, like why the woman was always weak and utterly useless and why the man always had to save her. She tried to put that notion aside as she read. She stumbled on the occasional word but there were a lot of pictures in the book and she enjoyed looking at them, even if the armour did remind her of a centurion’s. A short while later, Boone sat down across from her at the picnic table.

“Were dragons real?” She asked without looking up from the book.

“I dunno. Maybe.” He replied with a shrug.

“Maybe they were like dinosaurs.” Ker said mainly to herself as she inspected the picture of the brave and gallant knight using his shield to deflect the dragon’s fiery breath. “I couldn’t imagine fighting something as big as that dinosaur in Novac with a **sword**.”

“You two sure get around!” Ker heard the rough female voice from nearby.

“Betsy.” Boone greeted.

“Adding Cottonwood Cove to your list of achievements, eh courier?” Ker looked up from her book toward the voice she recognized; the **ranger**. She couldn’t stop the glare.

“Easy, now, miss. I ain’t looking to start anything.” Sterling said as he raised his hand in front of him in submission. Ker snorted and went back to her book.

“Rangers at Echo are saying you not only killed everyone in camp but you saved a bunch of people as well.” Betsy said happily. “Chalk up one more for the two vigilantes cleaning up the Mojave. Oh, by the way, Boone. We had us a high profile visitor come by the tent before we left McCarran yesterday. Apparently the ambassador to the Strips been tearing his hair out trying to get in touch with, and I quote, “the selflessly patriotic First Recon sniper, Sergeant Boone and the mysterious and deadly, nameless courier.”

“Ambassador?” Boone said in surprise.

“Yeah. Dunno what he wanted; asked us to send you two his way if we saw you.” Betsy confirmed.

“Thanks for the message, Betsy.” Boone nodded his thanks to Betsy.

“Anyways, LTs probably done chattin up the Major by now so we gotta get to work.” With that Betsy and Sterling headed off toward the command tent.

“We ready to head out?” Ker asked after a few minutes of silence.

“Where we headed?” Boone asked as he stood and started settling his gear into place.

“The Strip I gu-“ Ker was cut off by a shout from behind.

“Sergeant Boone! Courier!”  Ker glanced behind her to see the major jogging their way. “Thank god you haven’t left yet.” The major panted.

“Major.” Boone replied succinctly.

“I have a problem I’m hoping you can help me out with.” The major began. Boone nodded and he continued. “Yesterday I sent a patrol down to Ranger Station Echo. Radio report confirms they made it to Echo but they never made it back to camp. I sent out a second patrol to look for them and they could find neither hide nor hair of the first patrol. So now I have four men missing and not enough resources to keep looking for them.”

“Ker?” Boone asked as he glanced down at his partner who still had her nose in her book.

“Your call, Boone.” Ker replied lightly.

“Alright, major. We’ll go take a look.” Boone declared with a nod.

The major sighed gratefully. “Thank god. You find those boys and I’ll reward you. You find them alive and the reward will be more; even if it has to come out of my own pocket.”

“Sounds good, major. We’ll head out after I find out what happens to Sir Yvain.”

Ker and Boone headed south a short while later. Boone curiously looked over at his partner for perhaps the tenth time. “You haven’t stopped smiling since we left camp.”

Ker looked over at him with bright eyes and a contented smile. “You’re my lion.” She said happily.

Boone hesitated for several moments trying to piece together what that meant.  He gave up. “What?”

“My lion.” She repeated. “You know a lion? Cat as big as a Brahmin, golden fur, and a big furry mane around its neck.”

Boone rolled his eyes. “I know what a lion is. What do you mean by I’m **your** lion?”

“The book I read was the story of Sir Yvain, one of the Knights of the Round Table. Have you heard of them?” She asked.

“Yeah. My mother read me stories about knights when I was young.” Boone said. “Lancelot, Galahad, Tristan. She collected the Tæles of Chivalrie books.”

“Well, **that** explains a few things!” Ker smiled and chuckled under her breath. Whatever Boone might have said in response was lost in his surprise at his partner’s laugh. “Anyways Sir Yvain was a knight; charming, honourable, as good as they come. He went off on a quest to right the wrongs in the world. After his many trials and tribulations he went a bit insane. He left the civilized world behind and roamed the woods. Eventually a passing nobleman helped him regain his sanity. Sound familiar?” Ker paused for a moment to grin at him. “The best part is on his journey to become a knight again, Yvain comes across a lion fighting a dragon. He sides with the lion and together they slay the dragon. The lion then joins him on his journey and becomes Yvain’s most loyal companion.” Ker looked over at Boone. “I mean I did save you from a giant dinosaur… kind of.”

“That’s a bit of a stretch.” Boone said with a smile. “How does it end?”

“Sir Yvain and the lion finish their journeys and retire to a castle to live out their days in peace.”

“Sounds nice.”

Ker made a sound of agreement. “We already have the castle. I guess we just need to finish our journeys.” Ker’s smile turned a bit sad. “It’s… nice… to imagine things could end that way.”

“Yeah, it is.”

They were quiet for several moments.

“We should split up and look for trails.” Ker said as she scanned the horizon. “Stay in line of sight.”

“Agreed.”

They walked south about a hundred yards apart. They passed Nelson without finding more than the regularly patrolled path. Ker stayed near the road south of Nelson. She noticed the road came to a sudden end in the distance. Out of the corner of her eye she caught movement near the cliffs and quickly ducked into cover. Ker circled around until she had a good vantage point on where she saw the movement. From her high cover she looked out over a low valley. On the other side of the valley was an old wooden building near a large opening in the rocks. She brought up her scope and saw movement in the dark tunnel. Without leaving her hide she used her knife to catch the light and signal Boone off in the distance. He saw the signal immediately and started making his way over carefully while Ker kept an eye on the cave.

“What do you see?” Ker heard as Boone crawled up beside her and set up his rifle.

“I dunno. Something moving in that cave.” Ker murmured quietly.

They waited an hour; occasioning seeing movement in the dark cave. Finally a legionary emerged from the cave and headed up the cliffs. At the top of the cliff he signaled to someone across the river using something reflective.

“I’ll take him, you watch the cave.” Ker said quietly. She lined up her shot and fired. As she watched the legionary fall down the cliff she heard Boone fire and yanked her scope around to see a legion body on the ground just inside the mount of the cave.

“More close quarters. Maybe you should wait out here.” Ker said pensively.

“You know there’s no chance of that.” Boone replied flatly.

“Alright, let’s see if anyone else comes out.” After twenty minutes of nothing, Ker grabbed her rifle and skirted the edge of the valley until she reached the cave. Once she was in place, Boone did the same.

Ker lead the way with Boone following at a safe distance. Before they found any more legionaries they came to a fork in the tunnel. Ker chose right and they continued until her Pip boy started to tick. She didn’t want to go any further but she could see the large cavern at the end of the tunnel. A little further forward and she had a clear view of the room while still being in mostly dark. She motioned for Boone to join her and they opened fire on the inattentive legionaries. They checked the legionaries quickly, finding nothing of value and no sign of the missing troopers.

They headed back to the fork and tried the other path. They came to a sharp corner. A peek around the corner showed several legionaries in a well-lit cavern, as well as some chain linked gates. Behind the gates, Ker saw the four NCR troopers in states of distress varying from bound and gagged to unconscious on the ground in a heap. She readied a pistol in one hand and a knife in the other.

Ker nodded to Boone and they both sprang around the corner. They were expected. A legionary in a feathered headdress was waiting just around the corner and he lunged for Boone. Ker shoved Boone back behind cover with her shoulder and the legionary’s hands landed on her. He knocked the pistol out of her hand and then, with his substantial strength, the decanus pulled Ker into the open room. He adjusted his grip to throw her to the floor but Ker used the extra second to regain her footing and braced against the throw. The decanus seemed surprised when she didn’t move. He let up and looked back at her. Ker smiled, cocked her head to the side and kicked him in the crotch. His skirt provided him little protection.

Ker heard another legionary move but the rifle shot came fast so she ignored the other threats. She grabbed the staggered decanus’s head and brought it down into her knee with a sickening crack. Ker executed the decanus by slitting his throat before a Veteran Legionary reached her. As he swung his machete, Ker heard a second rifle shot. When the machete came within inches of her chest she smelt an acrid but familiar scent. He swung a second time and Ker dove in with her knife ready. The veteran drew a knife with his off hand and thrust it at her. Ker managed to parry the knife with her Pip-Boy but the veteran was skilled and brought his knife down across her shoulder as her knife found his heart.

Boone watched Ker deal with the veteran since he had no clear shot. He saw the veteran go down then saw Ker drop to her knees. “You alright?” He asked as he checked the dead legionaries.

“Check on the troopers.” Ker said from her knees over the veteran.

“Are you alright?” He repeated more sternly.

“I… don’t know.” This unexpected response garnered Boone’s immediate attention and he rushed over to his partner.

“Ker?” He prompted carefully as he knelt beside her. He saw her right shoulder was slashed open pretty badly; serious indeed, but treatable. He noticed Ker as sitting very still and breathing very carefully.

“Pass me the veteran’s knife and do **not** touch the blade.” She answered quietly. Boone easily found the bloody knife and put it down on the rock floor in front of Ker. She picked up the knife and brought the blade up to her nose. “Fuck.”

“What is it?” Boone asked in confusion.

“The blade’s poisoned.” Ker said after smelling the same acrid smell on the knife.

“Shit! We gotta move fast! Get you back to Forlorn Hope!” Boone said as he stood up quickly.

“No point.” Ker said calmly.

“No point?!” Boone felt like he’d been suckerpuched. “Ker, the NCR can **treat** most of the Legion’s poisons.” He said as he knelt back beside her. She didn’t look up at him; she just kept her eyes on the stone floor.

“I know.” She replied, still perfectly calm. “If this were any other poison I’d agree with you. But this is Mother Darkness.”

“I don’t know much about legion poisons.” Boone admitted bitterly.

“Don’t worry, Mother Darkness is usually only deadly the first time someone’s infected with it and this isn’t my first time. The problem is the poison and its antidote isn’t native here. They’re from much further east.”

“So we can’t get an antidote. What **do** we do?”

Ker let out a long sigh. “I let it run its course.”

“What? But-“

Ker cut Boone off. “Can you treat my shoulder?” Boone went to protest but Ker cut him off. “One problem at a time; shoulder, troopers, then poison.”

With an angry growl, Boone nodded and started pulling out supplies to treat her shoulder. The wound wasn’t as deep as it could have been; Ker’s leather jacket had provided some protection. It did take a lot of stitches to close the wound though.

“Stimpak?” Boone asked when he was done, unsure how the stim would interact with the poison.

“Yeah.”

Boone applied a Stimpak then bandaged the wound. After that they turned their attention toward the troopers. Two of them only needed a Stimpak and a pep talk. One had a concussion but the last had been beaten quite badly.

“Glad you got here when you did, First Recon.” The badly beaten one said as Ker and Boone tended his wounds. “That feathered fuck wanted information. He was asking all sorts of questions; about Forlorn Hope, Cottonwood Cove and McCarran. I didn’t give him shit. But this morning they started talking about ‘having some fun’. That started to worry me.”

Once all the troopers had been treated, they all looted the cave. They found all of the troopers’ striped equipment and rearmed the troopers. Before they left, Ker asked for their med kit in exchange for the supplies of their own they had used to treat them. The troopers were happy to hand it over, knowing Ker had been injured. After many thank yous and vows of repayment, Ker and Boone sent them off back to forlorn hope without a word about Ker’s health.

Ker and Boone watched until the troopers were out of line of sight of the cave’s mouth. Boone finally turned to Ker. “Talk.” He demanded.

“Mother Darkness isn’t a common battlefield poison.” Ker began. “Most people infected will survive with only minor outside aid. Mother darkness has… other uses.” Ker said hesitantly.

“Such as?” Boone prompted roughly.

“Interrogation and torture mostly.” Ker sighed. “Mother Darkness causes **extreme** joint pain along with vivid and terrifying hallucinations. It’s easily treatable though, a bit of Buffout and a Stimpak or two is all you need. The problem is… you can’t really treat the symptoms. Even with Buffout and stims, the next few days are going to be rough.”

“You said you’d been poisoned with this stuff before?” Boone asked.

“Twice actually.” Ker admitted. “The first time was with my father. He helped me weather it. The second time I was alone but I had access to an antidote.”

“So what do we do?” Boone asked in concern.

“We find somewhere to lie low for a while; preferably close and secluded.” As Ker spoke she unconsciously brought her left hand up to massage at her right elbow.

“You said joint pain.” Boone asked to confirm. Ker nodded. “It’s starting, isn’t it?”

Ker looked over at Boone. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

Boone sighed. “Nelson is probably our best chance. It’s close, secluded and may have some supplies left.”

After a short walk to Nelson, Ker and Boone found an empty house with a couple of beds, some old world food still in the cupboards and a lock on the door. Ker dropped her pack on the couch and placed her rifle beside it. Then she started disarming; pistols, knives and gun belt. Then she pulled a switch blade out of each boot and a pocket knife out of her jacket and added them to the pile. She pulled out the troopers’ med kit and pulled out the Buffout. She downed half a capsule.

Wearing just her cargo pants and tank top, Ker sat down on the bed with a wince. “It’s starting to take hold.” Ker said. “I have no idea how bad this will hit me. Best case scenario, I sleep through most of tomorrow and it starts to wane by the day after.”

“Worst case?” Boone asked tentatively.

“I spend tomorrow in agony when I’m lucid and hallucinating when I’m not.” Ker hesitated. “You don’t have to be here for this, Boone. I have no idea where my mind will go but I can guarantee you I won’t see you as my friend. It’ll be easier on you if don’t see this.”

“I’ve got your back.” Boone said roughly.

Ker smiled sadly. “Alright. Just promise me you won’t let me hurt you. I’ve disarmed but I could still…”

“Alright.”

“Thanks. I’m gonna get some sleep. See you soon.” Ker gave a small wave and then curled up in the bed and pulled the covers over her.

Boone’s first order of business was to put all the weapons, except for his sidearm, out of sight. Then he occupied himself however he could; starting with the Tæles of Chivalrie book. It had been a long time since he’d seen an issue of that particular series. And even though his mother must have had a dozen different issues, he’d never heard the story of Sir Yvain. He read it through, cover to cover before it got too dark to read. As he read he kept a constant eye on his partner. Whether she was actually asleep or faking it, Boone didn’t know but she stayed quiet and still. As night set in, Ker started sweating and mumbling occasionally. He had a quiet dinner and then dozed on the couch.

Boone coughed himself awake as he fought for breath. There was a sharp pressure against his throat making it hard to breath. His eyes snapped open only to land on the empty bed across from him in the dark room.

“Finally awake?” The low voice said menacingly beside his ear. Boone could feel the heat radiating off the person standing beside the couch. The pressure on his throat increased slightly and he noticed the pressure was all the way around his neck, but thin like a wire; a garrote. Damn, she was resourceful. “The only reason you aren’t dead is because you don’t look like Legion.” Boone couldn’t breathe enough to respond. “The pistol; give it to me. Now.” Slowly and carefully Boone reached down to his sidearm and drew it. With a flick of his wrist he threw it across the room. He heard Ker growl from behind him. “Fine. I’m gonna loosen this garrote enough for you to speak. In one word, tell me why I shouldn’t kill you.”

Boone’s mind raced through his options. Ker obviously didn’t recognize him. He felt the garrote loosen enough for him to take a breath. He picked his one word. “Poison.” He coughed.

“Poison?” Ker repeated in surprise. “You or me?” She asked angrily.

“You.” He coughed again.

Ker seemed to pause for a moment. “You’re not Legion, are you?”

The garrote was uncomfortably tight but he could just breathe. “No.”

“Are you armed?” She asked roughly.

“No.”

After agonizing seconds, the garrote released from his throat. Boone gasped and coughed for breath as he rubbed at his neck.

“You make a move for that gun and we’re gonna have problems.” Ker said harshly.

He heard Ker stagger behind him. He turned to see her sagged against the wall. “You shouldn’t be up.” Boone said roughly, knowing his throat was probably bruised.

Ker looked him in the eye. “What’s going on?” She demanded.

“You took a poisoned knife to the shoulder. You said it was Mother Darkness.” Boone explained.

“Mother Darkness.” Ker said absently. “The symptoms match, so you’re probably telling the truth.”

Boone looked over his partner. Even in the dark he could tell her skin was flushed, her eyes were glassy and she was trembling. It looked like it was taking all her effort to stay upright. He looked down at her hands and saw the garrote, a long thin wire wrapped tightly around her hands. So tightly in fact, he thought he could see blood. “Lay back down.” Boone said gently.

“Sleep unarmed in close quarters with a strange man?” She panted. “I don’t think so. Who are you anyway? You’re not Legion. Not a Ranger.”

Boone considered his answer. “I’m… NCR.”

“NCR?” Ker repeated. “Why exactly am I in the company of an NCR grunt?”

“We’re partners.” Boone said bluntly.

Ker chuckled roughly at that. She made eye contact with Boone for a moment before laughing harshly again. “Now I know you’re lying. Alright, **partner**. If you really are my partner you should be able to tell me my name.”

“Ker.” Boone tried first.

Ker looked at him oddly. “Maybe you are Legion after all.”

“Sable Cross.” Boone cut in. Ker’s expression went blank. “Please lie back down.” Boone prompted.

Ker pushed off the wall to lean closer to Boone. “Who **are** you?”

Carefully, Boone got to his feet. “I’m your partner and your friend. That’s all that matters right now. **Please** lie back down before you fall down.”

“My friend?” Ker said before shaking her head. “Things aren’t adding up.”

“It’s the poison.” Boone tried again.

“How do I **know** I can trust you?” Ker asked tiredly.

“Because I trust you. Why else do you think you caught me asleep?” Boone assured.

Ker slowly started nodding and then pushed of the couch. She nearly fell on the first step. Boone caught her by her bare shoulders, feeling the intense heat radiating from them. He helped her toward the bed where she laid down heavily.

“Can I take this?” Boone asked tentatively as he indicated the garrote between her bloody hands.

“I don’t think I can stop you.” Ker mumbled.

Carefully, Boone started unwinding the wire from around her hands. As he did he saw the tear at the edge of the mattress and realized the garrote was a mattress spring.

“I’m gonna apply a stim to this hand.” Boone said as he held Ker’s small bloody hand in his.

“I have so many questions.” Ker said tiredly.

“I know but get some sleep.” Boone said as he went to retrieve a Stimpak. By the time he got back to the bed, Ker was asleep.

Boone didn’t sleep anymore that night. When the sun rose, he pulled out some of the loot they’d found in the cave and worked at repairing an smg they’d found.

It was late morning when a heavy thump on the door startled Boone alert. It sounded like someone had tried to kick in the door. Luckily, the lock held.

“We know you’re in there!” He heard a voice yell from outside. “Come out or we’ll burn the house down!”

Boone quickly pushed the couch in front of the door and glanced through the crack in the boarded up window. Outside he counted at least four legionaries.

“Shit.” He whispered as he gathered his weapons and re-geared. He brought Ker’s things back to the couch and then headed over to Ker. He reached out and shook her still hot to the touch shoulder. “Ker, we’ve got problems.” He said. She didn’t rouse. He tried again with no luck.

“Our patience is wearing thin!” Boone heard from outside. He raised his rifle and took aim through the crack in the boards. He fired and killed one legionary before the rest scattered.

“Cowards!” Someone yelled from outside. A moment later Boone heard glass breaking from outside and heard flames start licking at the house.

“Ker!” Boone yelled again as he tried to aim through the boards again only to find no targets. He quickly checked the other windows and managed to kill another legionary through one. Boone tried to think of options. From the windows he counted at least ten legionaries that he could see with who knows how many more in hiding. He couldn’t think of any good ideas. The only options that had any chance of succeeding meant leaving Ker behind.

“…grunt?” He heard as he stood by a window. He rushed back to the bed and found Ker trying to get up.

“We’re surrounded by Legion. They’ve set the house on fire. We’re running out of time.” Boone explained succinctly.

“Do I have gear?” She asked when she was sitting up.

Boone pointed to the pile on the couch then went back to a window to keep an eye out. Ker nodded and pushed herself to her feet. She stumbled over to the couch and inspected the gear. Awkwardly she picked up the gun belt and put it on, fumbling slightly with the clasp. She fit her pistols and knives in place then looked over at Boone.

“I don’t think I can lift the rifle.” She said bitterly. “And I can’t carry the pack.” Ker then considered for a moment. “Do we have any explosives?”

“There’s a pair of grenades in your pack.” Boone said from the window.

Ker withdrew the grenades and hung them from her belt. “Boost me up.” She said looking at the ceiling above her. Boone looked at the ceiling and got the idea. They were going out through the roof. Boone rushed over and quickly stowed Ker’s gear in his own pack. He threw her rifle over his shoulder then hoisted Ker up to the ceiling. From his shoulder Ker cut a hole in the drywall with her knife.

“Ready to move?” Ker asked loudly over the building noise of the fire. Boone nodded and Ker pulled a grenade off her belt. She pulled the pin and pushed the grenade into the hole. Boone dropped Ker into his arms and rushed into another room. The blast rocked the little house and destroyed most of the roof in that room.

Ker started breathing deeply. She pulled out the second grenade and handed it to Boone. “Hurl it forward and to the left. Then shoot from the roof. On three.”

Boone could see her hands trembling; feel the heat from her skin when she handed him the grenade. And she still didn’t seem to know who he was. Despite all that, he saw the determination in her eyes and knew she had every intention to go out there and meet the legionaries head on.

Ker coughed from the smoke before she started counting. “One, two… Three!” Boone pulled the pin and hurled the grenade out the giant gap where the roof had been in the direction Ker had indicated. A second after he did, Ker rushed forward, vaulted onto the back of the couch and over what was left of the wall. Boone followed suit and ran up and climbed onto the back of the couch to fire over the wall. Outside, he saw Ker already going toe to toe with a legionary. From the first strike, he knew she was worst off then he’d originally thought. She was sluggish, clumsy and entirely on the defensive. The grenade blast went off nearby and held back the legion for a few seconds, giving Boone enough time to kill Ker’s target with a well-aimed rifle shot.

From his vantage point he could see there were a lot of legionaries, far more than his original estimate. The legionaries rushed the house. A few legionaries started shooting at Boone from cover. He did his best to dodge the incoming fire and control the battlefield. He killed a few legionaries before he felt a tearing sensation in his left side. The flimsy wall hadn’t been enough protection. He crouched down for a moment to catch his breath. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he sprang back up to find another target. He fired twice before a pair of hands came up and pulled him over the wall. He flew through the air before hitting the ground hard. He cried out when he felt a kick to his midsection then saw a pair of familiar steel clad boots step into his field of view. A moment later a Legion body fell beside him. He tried to stand but the pain in his side flared up and left him breathing hard. He glanced up at Ker who was standing over him protectively. Her once whitish tank top was now mostly red with blood and shredded in several places. One pant leg was also wet with blood, her pistols were gone and she only hand one knife left in her hand.

“I **told** you the reports were lies, Nero.” One of the legionaries said smugly as he stalked a few steps toward the partners.

“Shut up, Titus. Are you blind or just stupid?” A veteran legionary responded as he grabbed the recruit’s arm and pulled him back into the ring of legionaries.

“But the sniper’s down and the bitch can barely stand!” Titus explained.

“I guess you’re blind **and** stupid.” Nero replied angrily.

“Just tell him, Nero. If he has to guess, we’ll be here all day.” Groaned another legionary.

“Look at the bitch’s eyes, you idiot.” Nero said roughly, pointing at Ker with his machete. “Her stance, posture. She’s sweating. She’s shaking. She’s under the effects of one of our poisons.”

“Poison? Which one?” Titus asked surprised.

“They killed Alexus’s group down south in the mine. His second in command, Laurentius was a friend of mine. He just came west from Flagstaff. He brought all kinds supplies with him including a supply of Mother Darkness to help with our interrogations.”

“Mother Darkness?” Titus repeated in disbelief. “And she can still stand?!”

“Our spotters had wondered why they didn’t escort the profligate troops back to their camp.” Nero thought out loud.

“So what do we do?” Titus asked. “Try and subdue them or just shoot them and forfeit the bounty?”

“I think we have a third option here.” Nero said with a grin. “We wait.”

“Wait?” Titus questioned.

“Yes. You said it yourself; the sniper’s down and the bitch can barely stand. It’s been almost 24 hours since they killed Laurentius. So we wait, let his poison do its work and we take them when she collapses.”

“Still alive, grunt?” Ker asked quietly from above Boone. She stood on guard; tensed and ready to move at the slightest provocation. He could see she was trembling and sweating and it wasn’t just from the heat of the fire behind her.

“Yeah.” Boone managed to grunt out. He was down on his side applying pressure to his wound with his right hand.

“He’s right. It’s just a matter of time.” She stood a short distance from the burning house with a dozen legionaries spread out in a semi-circle on the opposite side. “Unless you have any ideas?” Ker asked hopefully.

Boone took stock of their inventory. He was fully geared; his sidearm was in its holster and his knife was on his belt. His rifle sat on the ground within reach. He knew there were three shots left in the mag. He also wore his loaded pack but he doubted her could get to anything in it. He didn’t know if Ker’s rifle was still over his shoulder but he knew Ker couldn’t wield it and he couldn’t reach it. Ker had nothing but her single knife.

“My sidearm.” He groaned out quietly as he shifted slightly to expose his holster. “Full clip.” He watched as Ker started breathing carefully. She tossed her blood slicked knife from hand to hand a few times, finally letting it land in her off hand. Time seemed to crawl by. Boone was starting to worry they might not make it through this one. He felt a tap on his back that must have been Ker’s foot. Then he felt a second. _On three._ He thought. After the third tap Ker bent for his sidearm and dodged hard to the left as she raised the gun. Boone pulled his blood slicked hand off his side and went for his rifle. He pulled his rifle into his shoulder and took aim from his side. His first shot killed the slow reacting one named Titus. His second killed a charging legionary. As he went to fire his last shot, he felt like he had been kicked in the chest. His hand involuntarily seized on the trigger and the shot when wild. The wind was totally knocked out of him and then couldn’t catch his breath. He let his rifle slip from his blood slicked grip back to the ground and closed his eyes. He tried to focus on breathing. He heard a few more gun shots. He expected any one of them to be his end. Then it was quiet. The only sound in the still afternoon was the fire behind him that had mostly engulfed the building.

Boone could barely open his eyes. When he did, his normally sharp vision was blurry and distorted. He closed his eyes again and tried to pick out any sounds other than the fire. There was nothing, or at least nothing he could hear. It sounded like things ended in a draw.

Boone needed to get up. If everyone was indeed down, victory went to the first person on their feet. He tried to move but the only thing he managed to do was cause fresh blood to flow from his side.

_This might be the end._ Boone thought bitterly to himself. It looked like his life was destined to end in failure; the failure to protect his injured partner. He was getting tired. Maybe he should just go to sleep. Maybe that would be for the best…

_I’m sorry I gave up in the vault._ Boone heard himself say. _You have my word, it will **never** happen again. **Never** again._

_Goddammit, Ker._ He thought to himself. Life was already hard. Why’d she have to go and make it harder by making him promise **that**? Nonetheless, he fought to take a deep breath and opened his eyes again. Everything was still blurry but this time he thought he saw something move. If it was a legionary he could only hope for a coup de gras and not a long drawn out death full of suffering. Who was he kidding? He knew that was how he would die.

“…”

Something distracted him from his musings and he closed his eyes again.

“…grunt?”

It couldn’t be.

“Hey. Grunt.” The voice was quiet and hoarse and came from very close by. He opened his eyes. As blurry as it still was, he recognized the person beside him. She was kneeling beside him, shaking him slightly with one hand. The other hand held something tightly against her chest. He tried to focus his eyes on her.

“Hey…” She said tiredly as his eyes met hers. She let whatever was in her arms fall to the ground. He heard several small things hit the ground. She started doing something, Boone wasn’t sure what; it wasn’t in his field of vison and he didn’t really feel anything but pain. Suddenly he felt a hot hand slip under his head.

“Drink.” He felt something cool and gooey against his lips. He tried to drink. Whatever it was was thick and bitter. He nearly gagged on it but managed to get it down, then had to close his eyes again. His head was gently lowered back to the ground. He heard shuffling then a soft thump. When he opened his eyes again, he thought Ker was gone. It took him a moment to realize she was on the ground next to him.

“Hey… grunt?” He heard her say; it was so quiet it was almost a whisper. He managed to make a noise in response. “No one else…” She began haltingly. “I’d rather… die beside.”


	21. Respite

# Chapter 21: Respite

 

Boone woke to the sun in his eyes. He was in pain, a lot of pain. He tried to get his bearings. He opened his eyes and saw sand. Lying in the sand a short distance from him was a body. Beyond that he thought he could make out more bodies. Behind him, he could hear the hissing and popping of a dying fire. He was alive, somehow. He tried to move only for everything to start hurting more. He tried a little less movement, just his head. He glanced around and could see legion bodies all around him. The closest body wasn’t a legionary, though.

_Ker!_ His mind screamed. He managed to flex his bloody right hand and lift it enough to get it close to her. He let it come to a rest on her shoulder; her **hot** shoulder. She was alive then. He gave a sigh of relief.

Boone lay still for several minutes gaining his strength and his nerve. Finally he pushed himself up into a sitting position, shrugging off his pack as he did. He then had to take a moment just to breath and will the dizziness away. He took a proper look around. Two dozen legionaries give or take, were scattered around. He assumed they were all dead. Only one looked like he had survived the initial encounter; he appeared to have crawled about ten feet before succumbing to his wounds.

Boone then looked down at himself. He was covered in dried blood and sand. His hands were caked in his own blood, as was the trooper armour he wore. He carefully checked his left side. He noticed his armour had been cut away from where he’d taken the bullet and something had been applied to the wound. At present it wasn’t bleeding but still hurt like hell. He noticed there was more blood on his armour, a quick investigation with his stiff fingers found the second cut in his armour and the bullet hole in his chest. It was right over his lung and was probably what was making every breath agony. He couldn’t quite get enough breath to sigh. He was in bad shape but he was awake and alert, that was something at least.

Wincing at the pain, he pulled his discarded pack closer and pulled out what was left of their medical supplies; two stimpaks, one dose of med-x and a few tablets of buffout. He fumbled with the stimpak but finally managed to apply it to his chest. He then did the same with the med-x. He only had to wait a few minutes for the med-x to kick in and begin to numb some of the pain. As he waited he visually examined Ker. She was passed out on her stomach with her head tilted toward him. Beside her were a few empty satchels and a few gourd-shaped liquid containers.

It took him three tries. On the third try, the pain was numbed enough that he managed to get to his knees and get to Ker. She was cut up pretty badly. On her back he counted at least three different gashes and one stab wound or bullet hole. He gently rolled her over, noting her skin was still overly warm but nowhere near as bad as it had been. Once on her back, Boone could see more cuts and gashes on her arms and chest.  With all the different cuts, she probably would have bled out if not for the sand that had caked the wounds and aided in blood clotting. The stitches he had so meticulously put in her shoulder the day before were torn open but the wound had reclotted. She also had a bone deep cut in her leg and arm. He applied the other Stimpak to her shoulder. As he did he heard her mumble something.

“Ker?” He tried tentatively. She mumbled something else before opening her eyes.

“Boone?” She asked in confusion. She glanced around them, at the burned out building, at the legionaries and eventually at his bloody armour. “Shit!” She said as she bolted upright. “You were hit!”

“You remember?” He asked tiredly.

“Vaguely.” Ker answered as she turned to him and pulled his pack over.

“Out of meds.” He breathed raspily.

Ker looked up at him in surprise. “Then we’re going back to Forlorn Hope.” She said sternly. She moved to stand, winced and stopped.

“Anything useful on the legionaries?” Boone asked. He did not look forward to the walk to Forlorn Hope in the shape he was in.

“I already checked them, but I’ll check again to be sure.” Ker pushed herself to her feet despite her stiff, painful joints and light headedness. She quickly checked all the legionaries while Boone waited patiently. She found her weapons and Boone’s sidearm while she searched. She headed back to Boone.

She knelt back in front of him. “One Bitter Drink.” She said holding out the gourd-shaped bottle.

“Bitter Drink?” Boone asked.

“A Legion healing draught.” Ker explained. “Difficult to swallow but mildly effective. Drink it in one go or you’ll probably just throw it up.”

“What about you?” Boone asked, making eye contact with her.

“What I need is food and water.” Ker said quickly. She pushed the bottle into his hand. “Drink it.”

Boone didn’t have the energy to argue so he took the bottle. He popped out the cork and downed the whole contents in one go. Well, he tried to. The contents were bitterer than any alcohol and he nearly spat it all out. He barely got it down. After he did, it was a matter of keeping it down. He felt something in his hand. He saw Ker was pushing a box into his hand.

“Eat.” She said. “It’ll help keep it down.”

Boone did as he was told and managed a few bites of the Dandy Boy Apples she had given him.

While Boone tried to eat, Ker sorted through his pack and discarded anything they didn’t need. She also pulled out all their remaining food and water and gorged herself. She was starving and the food would help replace her lost blood. When she was done, she got back to her feet and pulled Boone’s pack over her shoulders. Then she shouldered her rifle.

“Think you can make it?” Ker asked as she offered a hand to help Boone up.

“Dunno.” He groaned as he got to his feet.

“Gotta try. The Legion must be watching us. I can’t risk leaving you behind to go for help.” Ker explained. With Boone on his feet, she reloaded and holstered his pistol for him then handed him his blood encrusted rifle. He shouldered it carefully and they started off north.

The walk to Forlorn Hope from Nelson was two hours. Boone managed halfway before he staggered. Ker popped the last of the Buffout before she pulled his arm over her shoulder. She wasn’t as much help as she would have liked, being so much shorter than him, but the Buffout at least let her keep him upright. It was starting to get dark when Ker noticed Boone’s head bobbing.

“Boone!” She said loudly, pulling him back to consciousness. “You told me your mother used to read you the Tæles of Chivalrie books.” She said as she tried to make idle conversation. “My mother used to read to me too. I don’t remember what though. Do you have family out west?”

Several steps went by before he responded. “Yes.”

“Anyone worth mentioning?”

More quiet steps. “Father.” He croaked out.

Ker snorted. “Hopefully he’s better than mine.”

“Not by…” Boone paused for breath. “…much.”

“I liked your description of what a father should be.” Ker said wistfully.

“Ker…?” Boone said breathlessly.

“Yeah?” Ker said as they came to a stop.

“I… I’m… done.” Boone’s knees gave out and the pair buckled to the ground.

“I can’t ask you for any more, Boone.” Ker said as she sat him down. “But that doesn’t mean things are over.” Ker stood behind Boone and knelt down. She wrapped her arms around his chest. “This will hurt.” With a massive heave Ker stood up and picked Boone up the only way she could. “Just stay with me, alright?” Ker started half carrying, half dragging Boone the rest of the way to Forlorn Hope. She knew this left her vulnerable but she didn’t care. The Bitter Drinks may have stabilized Boone but without surgery to remove the bullet in his chest, no amount of stims would help him.

As full night set in, Ker finally saw the fires of Forlorn Hope burning on the hill. She kept at it, she wasn’t safe yet. Twenty minutes later, Ker heard running coming from behind her, the direction of Forlorn Hope. She had only a second to decide; drop Boone and defend herself, or leave them both open to attack. Carefully she knelt to lay Boone, who had lost consciousness, in the sand.

“Courier! What the fuck?!” She heard the angry female voice from behind her.

Panting, Ker turned to face Betsy. “He’s got a slug in his chest. Punctured lung probably.” Ker shook her head as a wave of dizziness came over her. “Was conscious until twenty minutes ago. Can you…” Ker hesitated; she wasn’t used to asking for help. “Will you help him?”

“Shit! Of **course**!” Betsy responded. “Spades! Give me a hand here!” Ker watched as Betsy and Spades, who she hadn’t even noticed, knelt to lift Boone with an arm over each of their shoulders. Betsy and Spades hustled back to camp. Ker follow at a much slower pace, with the urgency passed, her adrenaline was waning fast. She managed to reach the edge of camp and an empty tent. She dropped Boone’s pack and collapsed in the bed.

Boone was safe. His allies would look after him. She would be fine. She was just tired. A little sleep would do her good.

Ker woke up feeling groggy and confused. She saw a tent above her but that wasn’t enough to tell her where she was. She went to sit up.

“Don’t even **think** about it!” She heard a female voice from beside her say as a heavy hand on her shoulder held her down.

“Where am I?” Ker asked lamely.

“The infirmary in Forlorn Hope.”

“Boone?” She asked.

“Serious but stable.”

Ker sighed and drifted off back to sleep.

“Corporal, I got word she was awake?” Ker heard a voice she recognized as the major.

“She was, sir.”

“I am.” Ker slurred groggily.

“Then maybe you’d like to tell me what the hell happened!” The major said sternly.

“Found your boys.” Ker began tiredly. “They make it back?”

“They did. They reported everything. Including that you were wounded.”

Ker made a noise of confirmation. “Mother Darkness.”

“Mother Darkness?” The major asked in confusion.

“It’s an uncommon Legion poison, sir.” Ker heard another man explain. “Rare to see it used in battle but she was showing the symptoms of infection when they brought her in.”

“Was just gonna weather it.” Ker explained.

“Not very wise, but a viable option when no antidote is available.” The other male voice said.

“Camped in Nelson.” Ker continued. “Legion ambush.”

“Alright Courier, get some rest.”

Ker woke up and immediately sat up. She looked around. She was in an infirmary. Her vision was immediately drawn to the bed beside her. There lay her partner. He looked different without his sunglasses and beret. He was also pale, well as pale as anyone who spends every day under the hot Mojave sun could be. He had bandages wrapped around his shirtless chest and an IV in his arm. Ker couldn’t help but think he looked vulnerable. But he was going to be alright. Ker breathed a sigh of relief.

As she breathed out she noticed she was in pain. A quick glance showed she was in her bra and underwear. All her cuts had been cleaned and the ones that needed it had been stitched. Her shoulder was a bit sore but otherwise everything was tolerable. As she examined herself she heard someone enter the tent.

“Ah! You’re finally awake!” It was the male voice she didn’t recognize earlier.

“Doctor?” She asked, assuming by the lab coat.

“Richards.” The doctor offered. “Oh! Here you go.” The doctor handed her a pair of clothes. “I’ll give you a moment of privacy.”

Ker quickly got dressed. As she did she found her stripped possessions under the bed so she geared up with her usual boots and gloves and gun belt. She put her rifle over her shoulder and after a last glance at Boone, headed out of the tent into the early morning light.

“Ready to face the world again?” Richards laughed.

“How is he, Doc?” Ker asked in response.

“He’s in the clear. Surgery went well and stims are doing their work. It’s just a matter of time until he wakes up.” The doctor explained.

“I owe you for treating him… for treating us.” Ker said and turned to head back into the tent.

“You can discuss that with Major Polatli. He asked to see you when you were recovered.”

“Alright.” Ker nodded and headed off to the command tent. She stood at the door, unsure if she should go inside or wait where she was. Luckily the major waved her in.

“Good to see you up and about.” Major Polatli greeted with a smile.

“Thank you for treating us, major.” Ker said very self-consciously. “I owe you caps for that, right? Just tell me how much and I can-“

“Don’t worry about it.” The major interrupted.

“But-“

“The NCR looks after its own.” The major interrupted again.

“I know and I appreciate you treating Boone but I’m sure your superiors won’t feel the same way about a wasteland drifter like myself. So what do I owe you?”

“You really don’t get it, do you?” Major Polatli asked, a little surprised. “Since you liberated Nelson, I’ve been keeping tabs on you.” The major starting counting off on his fingers. “Boulder City, Nipton, Nephi, Violet, Cook-Cook, the monorail, Bitter Springs, Motor-Runner and now, Cottonwood Cove.” The major looked her dead in the eye. “Maybe you didn’t notice the first time you came through but Forlorn Hope was barely staying afloat. With McCarran out of danger I’ve had fresh troops and supplies brought in. I also have First Recon to help watch the river now. You’ve done more to secure this outpost then I ever could have hoped for. You may not be NCR, but as far as I’m concerned, you’re the best thing that’s happened to the NCR since the Vault Dweller.”

Ker carefully considered what the major said. She and Boone had killed a lot of legionaries. But no one had cared when she killed legionaries before. Is this what it meant to be on a team? To be an ally of the NCR? There was also another question. “Which vault dweller?” Ker asked confused.

“ **The** Vault Dweller? The hero of the NCR?” The major tried, not getting the look of understanding he was hoping for. He smiled slightly. “As much as I’d love to tell you the story of the Vault Dweller, I’m a little pressed for time. Ask Sergeant Boone, I’m sure he’ll tell you.”

“Okay.” Ker said lamely.

“Now, feel free to stay in camp as long as you’d like. It’s a major moral boost to have you two around.” The major laughed. “Oh by the way, do you know how many legionaries attacked you?”

“I don’t. Things are kinda fuzzy and I didn’t count afterwards.” Ker answered. “Boone might know.”

“24.” Major Polatli said happily. “I sent a patrol down that way to check things out. They counted 24 Legion bodies around a burned out house. Just thought you’d like to know. Now if you’ll excuse me.” Ker nodded and left the command tent to return to the infirmary.

A short while later, Ker sat on the bed she’d woken up on, carefully cleaning the blood, Boone’s blood, off his rifle. She couldn’t help the shiver when she’d first picked it up and saw the blood coating the wood and caked in the firing mechanism. She’d come very close to losing her partner but she hadn’t, thanks to the NCR.

In the bed beside her she heard Boone’s breathing become laboured and his eyes shot open. Moving fast, Ker dropped his rifle to her bed and got a hand onto Boone’s shoulder to hold him down.

“Easy, easy!” She soothed. “Everything’s alright. You’re safe. **We’re** safe, in Forlorn Hope.”

Boone’s breathing slowly calmed. “We made it?” He asked carefully, emerald eyes meeting grey ones.

“Yes.” With that simple word, Boone relaxed back against the bed and sighed in what Ker could only assume was relief.

“How long?” He asked as he relaxed and closed his eyes.

“I’m not sure.” Ker said, reluctantly removing her hand from Boone’s bare shoulder.

“You’re not sure?” He asked in surprise.

“I think all day yesterday. So, about 40 hours? I only woke up a few hours ago.” Ker embarrassingly admitted. “I should get the doctor. They had to do surgery to get that slug out of your chest. He’ll probably want to check you over.” The doctor checked Boone over. He said even though everything looked good, he wanted Boone to spend another night in the infirmary. Ker simply agreed, much to Boone’s dismay.

Ker managed to do a bit of trading in the camp; she wasn’t so on guard around the soldiers anymore. Most of them seemed like good people. She got more medical supplies, some clothes and topped up their ammo. She then brought some dinner to the infirmary. Ker and Boone were sitting in companionable silence when they were rudely interrupted.

“Heard you two were **finally** awake.” Betsy greeted roughly as she entered the tent.

“You gave us quite the scare, Boone.” Sterling said from behind her.

“Betsy. Sterling.” Boone greeted from where he sat on his bed.

“It was a sight to see;” Betsy began. “This petite courier dragging your heavy ass through the desert. Might’ve been funny if I didn’t know just how much it took to knock you off your feet. Tell me something, do you go looking for trouble or does it just find you?”

“Desert’s full of trouble.” Ker said quietly.

“No argument there, Courier.” Sterling agreed.

Betsy and Sterling stayed for a while. They chatted with Boone about military things, most of which went over Ker’s head. Eventually they got up to leave.

“Don’t be strangers, alright?” Betsy said happily. “But next time, maybe don’t be dying when you stop by.”

Ker and Boone left for the Strip the next morning. They were down to only essential supplies so they still only had once pack, which Ker demanded to carry. They were walking through the hot afternoon when Ker broke the silence.

“Who’s the Vault Dweller?”

“What?” Boone asked as he looked over at Ker in surprise.

“ **The** Vault Dweller. The hero of the NCR.” Ker repeated with emphasis.

“Where’d you hear about that?” Boone asked.

“Major Polatli said I may not be NCR, but as far as he’s concerned, I’m the best thing that’s happened to the NCR since the Vault Dweller.”

Boone looked forward pensively. “Never thought of it like that.”

“If you don’t want to tell me…” Ker said, thinking Boone was delaying a response.

“What? No, it’s not that. It’s just... a lot to take in.” Boone said honestly.

“What is?”

“That I could be walking beside a living legend.”

Ker snorted at that. “A legend.” She said sarcastically.

“Well, you **do** have a habit of getting shit done.” Boone said with a smile.

“Maybe, but I’m no legend!”

“That’s not for you to decide.”

“What?” Ker asked confused.

“History will make that call.” Boone said seriously. “Anyway, you asked about the Vault Dweller. It’s an NCR story. Every kid in the NCR knows the story of the Vault Dweller. The NCR wouldn’t exist without him. It must have been… over 150 years ago. The world was nothing but tiny terrified villages and vicious raiders. This tiny town named Shady Sands was attacked by a bunch of those raiders and they took the chief’s, Aradesh’s daughter, Tandi. Now the town’s been hit badly; they had no weapons, no able bodies, and no chance to rescue Tandi.

That’s when the Vault Dweller showed up. First thing he did was protect the town from some vicious wildlife without even being asked. Turned out he was from a nearby vault; Vault 13. In desperation, Aradesh asked the stranger to save his daughter. The Vault Dweller agreed and headed out. A couple days later, the Vault Dweller walked back into town with Tandi by his side.

After that, the Vault Dweller journeyed around California, being a goddamned force of nature. He killed raiders, slavers and mutants, helping to stabilize the area. He even killed the Master.”

“The Master? Who was that?” Ker asked intently.

“He was making a super mutant army. The Vault Dweller killed him and stopped the production of super mutants, saving California from certain destruction.”

“What happened next?” Ker asked eagerly.

“Well, with the area stabilized, Tandi was able to start uniting the tiny villages in the area. Then she founded the New California Republic.” Boone explained.

“What happened to the Vault Dweller?” Ker asked.

“No one knows for sure. There are some stories from after the founding of the NCR but it’s hard to be sure.”

“Maybe he went home?” Ker asked hopefully.

“Maybe. But to this day people are still trying to find Vault 13. And you know how all those vaults are death traps.”

“So this Tandi founded the NCR?”

“Yup. Even though it’s a republic, she was president for the rest of her life due to the popular vote.”

“One more question.” Ker began. “Why the hell does Major Polatli think I’m worthy of such a comparison?!”

Boone shrugged. “Maybe he sees something you don’t.”

“Like what?!”

Boone shrugged again. “I guess we’ll see.”


	22. Time Off

# Chapter 22: Time Off

 

“Remind me again how you convinced me to do this?”

“I whined a bit. Pouted. Made a general nuisance of myself.” Veronica laughed.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this.” Ker looked in the mirror at her reflection. She’d never seen herself like this before. Veronica said she looked ‘pretty’. Ker couldn’t see it. Apparently the radio wasn’t the only thing Veronica had been working on while Ker had been off playing hero with Boone. She’d managed to acquire ‘evening clothes’ for the three girls of the group. Ker had mentioned to Veronica her desire to have fun when she and Boone returned to the Lucky 38 a few days ago. An hour ago, Veronica had announced to everyone the girls were going out for a night on the town and had dragged Ker into the master bedroom with Cass’s help. Now Ker stood before the large mirror in the master bedroom looking at herself. She was in a knee length navy blue, sleeveless dress that sparkled in the light. It had wide shoulder straps and a modest front. She was wearing a pair of black, sparkly shoes; flats of course. She also had make up on. Not a lot, but Veronica had wanted to accent her eyes and used something called ‘eyeliner’. Veronica had also spent far too long putting up Ker’s hair. Her usual braid sat in a crown around her head and left a few strands hanging down that she tucked behind her ears.

“You look gorgeous, Ker.” Veronica said happily as she finished pinning her hair in place. She was wearing a sky blue dress that was cut much less modestly then Ker’s.

“Where did you even find this stuff?” Ker asked.

“Vegas has all kinds of resources.” Veronica laughed.

“The three o’us will sure get heads turning tonight.” Cass laughed along with Veronica from the bathroom. Cass’s dress was ruby red and strapless.

“Maybe even draw the eye of a certain sniper.” Veronica said as she grinned at Ker.

“That’s not-“ Ker began indignantly, trying not to blush.

“I know, I know!” Veronica placated. “But it can’t hurt, right?” Ker mumbled to herself. “That’s the spirit!” Veronica laughed. “Let’s go show the boys before we head out.” She led the way out of the master bedroom and Ker and Cass followed close behind.

Ker was extremely uncomfortable. Not only did the dress offer little protection, it also hindered her movement. She was unable to carry her rifle or her pistols. She was carrying her knife. No amount of arguing with Veronica would convince Ker to leave the Lucky 38 **unarmed**. Ker followed Veronica into the common room where they found Arcade with his nose in a book and Boone playing solitaire.

“Ta da!” Veronica said with a twirl. Both men looked up.

“Wow!” Arcade said happily. “I knew you’d all look beautiful but this is beyond what I expected!”

Boone was silent. His gaze jumped between Cass and Veronica before settling on Ker. He stared for several seconds before he looked back down at his cards. “You look nice.” He said, almost as an afterthought.

“Well, we’re going to see what kind of trouble we can find!” Veronica laughed. “The more the merrier!”

“As much as that sounds like fun, I think I’d be outshined but the three of you. So I think I’ll pass on this one.” Arcade said.

“The Strip can be dangerous.” Boone began sternly, without looking up from his cards. “If you’re going unarmed-“

“We’re not.” Ker countered.

“Still a lot of trash on the Strip. If you want me to watch your back, I will.” Boone finished, finally making eye contact with Ker.

“Boone, I only want you to come if you want to come.” Ker sighed. “We could use a resupply. If you’d rather do that, it’d save us a trip.”

Boone threw the cards in his hand down onto the table. “I got your back.”

A few hours later, Boone found himself leaning against a wall in The Tops casino. He was uncomfortable. He didn’t realize agreeing to watch his partner’s back meant wearing a dinner jacket. Veronica had suggested a suit. Boone’s glare had talked her down to a jacket and tie. Ker had vetoed the tie. So now he stood in a clean pair of pants and a dark dinner jacket over his nicest t-shirt with his beret still on his head. The jacket reminded him of his old dress uniform, constricting and uncomfortable. It also reminded him of the last time he’d worn his dress uniform; at his wedding.

Boone shook his head clear and focused on the girls at the blackjack table across the room. He couldn’t get distracted just because the Strip was considered safe. But it was hard to stay focused. He took in the scene before him, trying to focus. Ker, Veronica and Cass were sitting at a blackjack table across the room from him. Around them were several other casino goers; so many in fact, it was hard to even see his partner. Judging from the cheering, someone was on a roll.

His partner was clearly uncomfortable. He could see that. But she was trying to take hints from Veronica and Cass on the right way to behave. The first time one of the casino goers had clapped her on the back after a particularly good hand, Boone was sure it’d end with them getting kicked out. Surprisingly, Ker had merely grit her teeth and carefully removed the man’s hand from her shoulder.

He watched as the crowd mourned the broken winning streak and began to disperse. Several of the casino goers stuck around, mostly men. Cass was already hanging off a tall well-dressed man’s arm. Veronica had casually declined all the flirting she had received but Boone figured out why when a female server brought her a drink and she stared after the server for several seconds. So, that was her deal. He mentally marked that as something to remember, but he didn’t know why. Several men had tried flirting with Ker but most had given up rather quickly. This new one however, was starting to bother Boone. He’d been hanging around for a while, making casual conversation as far as he could tell. He’d shimmied his way between Cass and Ker and now sat beside Ker chatting with her. He watched as the man leaned over and whispered something into her ear. Boone saw Ker’s eyes darken and her expression shift to a malicious grin. She leaned over and whispered something into his ear. Boone had seen men wilt after being shot down before, but whatever Ker said nearly floored the man. Babbling, he excused himself and hustled away from the table to the bar where he downed two shots before collapsing in a bar stool.

Boone saw the head of the casino, Swank if he recalled correctly, approached the group. He made several grandiose gestured before motioning to the theater at the back of the casino floor.

_No, please not that._ Boone’s mind screamed at him. Boone swallowed hard. If they headed to the theater, he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to follow. The group got up and headed in that direction. Ker immediately broke away from the group and headed his way.

“Swank says they have live music in the theater!” Ker said happily. She paused for a moment. “What’s wrong?”

“What?” Boone asked surprised. He cleared his throat. “Nothing’s wrong.”

“You’re lying.” Ker said accusingly. “I know that look. It’s the one where you’re looking at me but not seeing **me**.”

Boone sighed heavily. “I can’t go back there.”

“What? Why not?” Ker asked confused.

“I told you I met Carla on the Strip.”

Ker did her best to only sound confused and not hurt. “Yeah.”

“She… was a waitress, at that theater.” He said and let out a heavy breath.

“Oh.” Ker said lamely. “That’s okay. You don’t look like you’re having a good time anyway. Why don’t you head back to the Lucky 38? We won’t be out too late.”

Boone didn’t want to leave his partner, but this… he couldn’t do this. He just nodded. Ker gave him a sad smile before hustling off to rejoin the group. Boone sighed loudly and shook his head. He stayed in place for several minutes before finally heading for the exit. He picked up his rifle at the weapons check and wandered out onto the strip. He slowly made his way back to the Lucky 38.

“Sugar! Hey, Sugar!”

Boone heard the familiar voice and glanced up in its direction. He saw a prostitute he recognized jogging toward him. Sighing, he stopped and waited for her to reach him.

“Thanks, sugar.” She panted. “Are you the guy everyone’s been talking about?”

“What?” Boone wasn’t sure what he could’ve done to be the person everyone in her crowd would be talking about.

“A courier’s been cutting a bloody swath through the desert with a retired First Recon sniper at her back.” She tried again. “Is that you?”

“Yeah.” Boone was sure this was going to result in him getting shot at.

“I normally don’t put much stock in rumours but I **know** you’re a good person and I don’t have anyone else to turn to.” She said sadly.

“What’s wrong?”

The woman looked around suspiciously. “Not here. Can we go someplace more… private?”

“No.” Boone growled.

“Alright.” The woman thought carefully. “What if your friend comes too?” She continued when Boone didn’t refuse. “Head behind Gomorrah. Find Joana, tell her Kandy sent you. She’ll do the rest.”

Boone nodded slowly. “We’ll come when we can.”

“Good. That’s all I can ask for.” Kandy nodded happily. “Until then.” She turned and headed back to Gomorrah.

Boone let out a heavy sigh and continued to the Lucky 38. When he got back, he tried to have a relaxing hot bath but found he was too worked up to relax. Eventually he headed to his room with a deck of cards to wait for his partner to return.

Boone heard the elevator chime and headed out of his room to the foyer.  He waited outside the elevator to greet whoever came out only to be surprised when it stopped at the lounge. He considered carefully. It could be Cass or Veronica picking up some extra alcohol for the evening. Or it could be Ker doing the same. He called the elevator and headed to the longue. He stepped out of the elevator into the lounge and looked around. He heard Veronica speak and started to head toward her voice around behind the elevator, but what she said stopped him cold.

“Admit it; you’re in love with him.”

“Veronica!” He heard Ker rebuke her friend. “We’ve already had this discussion!”

“That was then. This is now. You love him. Don’t try to deny it. You were having a good time until he left.” Boone didn’t want to assume who him was, but he had a pretty good idea.

“So what if I was?! He’s my partner and my friend and-” There was no doubt in his mind who they were talking about now.

“You love him!” Veronica interrupted.

“Goddammit. **Yes**! Alright?” Ker roared. Boone was rooted in place. He shouldn’t be listening to this. But he couldn’t move.

“You do?” Veronica said in amazement.

“I… well… maybe.” Ker sighed.

“Maybe?” Veronica asked back.

Ker continued quietly. “I’ve never been in love before, alright? I… don’t know if that’s what this is. Why does any of this matter anyways?”

“Because he’s a **man**. Men are oblivious to a lot of things. Sometimes you just need to come out and say it.” Boone heard a tense silence after Veronica spoke. A moment later he heard a scuffle and a glass break. Then he heard something hit the bar counter.

“You will **not** tell him.” He heard Ker say through gritted teeth.

“Any what if I do?” After hearing the anger in Ker’s voice, he knew Veronica was tempting fate with her question.

“I **want** to threaten you with violence.” Ker said roughly. “But you’re **supposed** to be my friend.” Ker sighed. “If you tell him, I’ll lose **two** good friends.”

“What do you mean?” Veronica said in confusion. “You may find out he-“

“Boone **doesn’t** love me back, alright?!”

“And how do you know that?!” Veronica shouted back.

“Because he **told** me!” Ker roared sadly.

“What?” Veronica asked in surprise.

“There’s only **one** person he loves and I’m not her.”

“He told you that?” Veronica asked sadly.

“Yes.” Ker said succinctly. Boone could hear the tremble in her voice.

“Ker, I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” Veronica apologized gently.

“You won’t tell him, right?” Ker pleaded.

“No. I won’t say a word.” Boone heard a sniffle. “What are you going to do?”

“Nothing.”

“Nothing?”

“Exactly.”

“You’re just gonna keep heading out with him?” Veronica asked sadly.

“Yes. I’ve made my decision.”

“You have?”

“I’ve drawn a line in the sand. One I will **not** cross; for his sake. He’s…. satisfied with how things are and I won’t be the one to change that.” There was a pause. “Are we finished Veronica? Cause I wanna get out of this dress.”

Veronica replied with something but Boone was too occupied with calling the elevator to hear what. Luckily the elevator never left their floor and he rushed inside and hit the button for the Presidential Suite. He shouldn’t have heard **any** of that. Suddenly some things started to make more sense; Ker’s lingering glances, her hesitant touch, and the occasional blush. The elevator reached the top and he stepped out. How had he not noticed? It’d been right in front of him. Maybe he didn’t notice because he didn’t **want** to notice. He collapsed on the couch in the foyer.

_To see you look at me with such love and happiness in your eyes and know it wasn’t directed at me; that hurt._

He hadn’t realized.

_But I make a poor substitute for Carla._

Is that why she didn’t say anything?

“Hey, Boone.” The voice startled him, even though he was expecting them. He glanced up to see his partner walking out of the elevator with Veronica behind her. “Told you we wouldn’t be too late. I’m gonna have a bath and get some sleep.” She said and headed for the large bathroom. That left him and Veronica alone. Veronica stood nearby, quietly staring at him.

“What?” He said, much more aggressively than he had meant to.

“It was **one** night, Boone.” Veronica said sternly. “You didn’t even have to **do** anything but **be** there. She was having **fun** until you left. Why couldn’t it have been about **her** for one night?”

Boone was speechless. Ker had wanted to go out and have fun. They had done that. Boone had even watched her back. It **was** about Ker.

_I told you I met Carla on the Strip. She was a waitress at that theater._

It had been about Ker, until he remembered Carla. Then, he couldn’t even keep doing his job. The one job he had left in life; to protect his partner. The one and only thing she expected from him; to watch her back. One thought about Carla and he’d risked his partner’s life. Sure, the strip was supposed to be safe but he’d seen how easily Ker had gotten to Benny. He was just using the safety of the Strip to justify his actions.

“Forget it, Boone.” Veronica said gruffly. “I guess she doesn’t mean as much to you as I thought she did.” She shrugged and headed off toward the bathroom.

Ker loved him. But he loved Carla. But Carla was gone. But he still loved her. He was sure he would never love anyone the way he had loved Carla. And Ker knew that. That’s why she hadn’t said anything. She knew he’d never love her back. And so did he.

A hand gently shaking his shoulder jarred Boone back to reality. He looked up to see Ker in front of him in a fluffy white housecoat looking down at him worriedly.

“Huh?” He asked in confusion.

“Where’d you go?” She asked gently.

“It’s nothing.” He said briskly.

Ker sighed slightly and took her hand off his shoulder. “I’m sorry I dragged you to the Tops.” She said shaking her head. Why was she apologizing? She had no way of knowing. He’d never told her. She did nothing wrong. He was the one who left her on her own. He was the one who ruined her night. “I didn’t know. I won’t ask again.” She won’t ask again? Won’t ask what again? To go to the Tops? To have a night out? To have fun? “Try and get some sleep.” She said and with that, she headed off to the master bedroom.

Revelation hit Boone like a ton of bricks. **This** is why she didn’t want him to know. He’d just pushed her away without even **noticing**. She’d tried to step out of her comfort zone, tried to have a night off, tried to have fun, tried to bring her friend along to have fun with her. Instead, the only thing he’d said to her the whole evening was how it all reminded him of Carla. He’d pushed Ker away in order to hold tightly to his memories. If he didn’t notice **this** time… Had he ever done it before?

_Maybe… I’ll see Carla again._ He’d said in Vault 3, when he thought he was going to die, even though Ker was trying to save his life.

_I make a poor substitute for Carla._ She’d said while he held her in his arms and he’d said nothing to make her feel any different.

_Yeah, about a year too late._ He’d said after Ker nearly died saving him at Bitter Springs.

It **always** came back to Carla. Every time Ker tried to get closer to him, he brought up Carla. This had brought Ker to the obvious conclusion that Boone would never love her. Knowing this, she’d drawn her line in the sand; as much as she might care for him, she would never express it because she **knew** he didn’t feel the same. Because he’d told her, on many occasions.

“Hey, doofus.” Boone heard from nearby. He looked up to see Veronica in a housecoat drying her hair with a towel while looking at him. “Get some sleep or you’ll make her worry.” She said gruffly before heading to her room.

Boone sighed. This wasn’t something he could solve tonight anyway. He got up and headed to his room. He tried, but he didn’t sleep well. His mind kept thinking back to all the things he might have said offhandedly that could have reinforced Ker’s belief.

When the first rays of light hit his window, he got up and got ready. Fully geared he headed to the master bedroom to see if Ker was awake. He needed to tell her about the request he’d gotten. He knocked on her door.

“Come in!” He heard shouted from inside. Boone opened the door and headed in to find Ker in a set of leather armour and fully geared. She had a military style hat on her head and her usual metal reinforced gloves and boots. She looked up at him for a moment before going back to tying up her boots. Unbidden, a thought came to Boone of Ker in her dress from the night before. He felt a pang of sadness at the thought that he may never see that again, and it was entirely his fault.

Boone cleared his throat before he began. “That… woman from Gomorrah stopped me on my way back to the Lucky 38 last night.”

“Oh?” Ker asked. Boone could hear the lack of assumptions in her voice.

“She asked for our help.” He finished.

“With what?” Ker asked as she finished with her boots.

“Dunno. She looked nervous.”

“Alright. Let’s go find her.”

“She said to look for ‘Joana’ and tell her ‘Kandy’ sent us.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Ker said as she checked her gear one last time.

Boone followed Ker out and to the elevator. At the elevator they had to wait for the car to arrive. When it did, a disheveled Cass walked out.

“Now that.” She declared as she staggered forward. “That was a fun night.”

“Need a hand getting to bed?” Ker asked with evident concern.

“Nah. You two go do whatever it is you two lovebirds do.” Cass said as she staggered off toward her room. Boone just caught the blush on Ker’s face, even though she tried to hide it by heading into the elevator.

Boone found the usual comfortable silence between them unsettling as they rode the elevator down. He wanted to say something, but he didn’t know what. His thoughts kept coming back to the conversation he’d overheard the night before. Eventually they had reached Gomorrah and Boone had thought of nothing to say.

They checked their obvious guns, mainly rifles and side arms, and headed into the casino. Last night they had visited the Gomorrah briefly but Ker has asked to leave immediately and the girls hadn’t argued. They’d gone to the Ultra-Lux next but the masks bothered Ker and that was how they had ended up at the Tops.

They made their way out to ‘behind Gomorrah’ and a quick question had them pointed at Joana. She was pretty enough and wearing just a nightie. As they approached, she looked their way listlessly, with dull eyes.

“Well, what do we have here, huh?” She began. “Let me guess. You've heard about the mistress who makes all your fantasies come true. So you've followed the call of your desires... all the way to the arms of Joana, moi. Now that you've found me, I wonder, do you have what it takes?”

“Kandy sent us.” Ker said awkwardly.

Suddenly, a spark of life came back to Joana’s eyes. “Well now, Kandy sure knows how to pick’em.” She said as she looked Boone up and down. “Kandy…?” She cooed seductively over Boone’s shoulder. “Your friend wants you to join us.” A moment later Kandy was at Boone’s shoulder working at seducing him as she had tried to before. Joana reached out to do something similar to Ker. After a few uncomfortable seconds, the women each grabbed one of the partners hands and led them in to a room. Once inside, Kandy closed and locked the door. Ker and Boone both then shook off their respective prostitute’s hands.

“This is them Kandy?” Joana asked eagerly.

Kandy nodded vigorously. “Just like I told you.”

Joana sighed gratefully. “Sorry about the display but we can’t let anyone know what’s going on.”

“Which is?” Ker asked.

“I'm... I don't know what's happening to me. I can't feel a goddamn thing anymore, empty and poisoned like the Wasteland. I'm afraid I won't make it out of here, not without Carlitos. If the Med-X doesn't kill me first, Cachino or another Omerta will. Ha, I look pathetic, huh? The great Joana and now... I don't even know why I'm telling you this.” Joana was almost sobbing; Kandy tried her best to comfort her.

“Okay. Okay. Calm down.” Ker tried. “From the beginning. Who’s Carlitos?”

“He was an Omerta that... fell in love with me. They don't ever mix with people outside the ‘family’, you know? He was planning to escape with me but Cachino found out about us. So he did something, talked, I don't know, and Carlitos disappeared.”

“And who’s Cachino?”

“He's a filthy monster. I've been with perverted men but Cachino's done things... to me, that - Even other Omertas would also want to kill him if they knew what he does. He's broken so many of their rules that I don't know how he still breathes.”

“And Omertas are the operators of Gomorrah?” Ker asked to be sure. Joana nodded. “And so what is it you want? Us to find out what happened to Carlitos? To get you out of here?”

“I don’t know… either? Both? Anything.” Joana said sadly.

“Ok, how about this. Boone and I will see what we can turn up on Carlitos; maybe they killed him maybe they didn’t. If we can’t find him, we’ll get you out of here, like he wanted. That sound good?” Ker tried.

“Only if I can come too!” Kandy begged. Ker just nodded as if it was obvious.

“You’d really do that? Put your necks on the line like that?” Joana asked in surprise.

“I got this thing against slavery, see? Causes me to do all kinds of stupid things.” Ker lamented and turned for the door.

“Wait.” Kandy called. “We should stay in here a while. Make it convincing.”

Ker glanced over at Boone and blushed deep scarlet before shifting aside to lean against the wall. They waited in total silence for several minutes.

“Sugar?” Kandy tried eventually. Boone glanced up at her though dark sunglasses. “No, sorry. Your friend called you… Boone?” She asked. He nodded once. “Thank you, Boone.” She said with a smile. “There aren’t many real gentlemen here in Vegas. I never thought I’d actually meet one.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Kandy as happy as she was when she told me about you.” Joana said and smiled along with Kandy. “I asked her to keep a lookout for you. Hoping that you might be able to help us.”

“Are all the women here slaves?” Ker asked curiously.

“No, but it’s an easy lifestyle to fall into and a hard one to get out of.” Joana said sadly. “On top of that, the Omertas try and get you hooked on med-x or jet or even alcohol to make it easier to keep you on a leash.”

Ker considered carefully. “Is prostitution legal in the NCR?” She asked her partner who was leaning against the wall on the opposite side of the door.

“No.” He replied succinctly.

“I can see the casinos fighting tooth and nail against that.” Ker said pensively.

A half an hour of near silence went by before Joana gave the go ahead for Ker and Boone to leave. They headed out and spent the rest of the day asking around about Carlitos. They asked around at all the casinos and but came up empty handed. In the evening they headed to Freeside. It was just getting dark when Ker noticed the tail they had picked up.

“We’re being followed.” Ker said without looking back. Boone just nodded back. “Two, maybe three. What say we split up? They’ll probably try and ambush me if I’m alone.”

“Risking your life again?” Boone said gruffly.

“It’s what I do best.” Ker replied with a smirk and started to walk off alone.

Boone didn’t like it, but he did as he was asked. He sprinted one street over and a few streets up before heading back to the street he left Ker on. He glanced around the corner to see nothing but an empty street. Then he heard the gunshot. He sprinted down the street toward the sound. He got to an alley and sprung around the corner. There in the alley was Ker. She held a gun in her left hand that wasn’t her own that was pointed at a thug on the ground. Her left foot was pressed into the throat of a second thug on the ground and she held a third thug in a hammerlock with her right hand.

“What took you so long?” She said playfully as Boone came around the corner. “Now.” She said sternly. “Who are you?” She wrenched on the thugs arm to cause a little pain.

“Word around Freeside is you’re looking for Carlitos.” The thug tried.

“Yeah. We are.”

“Well, you found him.”

“Finally.” Ker sighed and shoved Carlitos into the wall while releasing his arm.

“What the hell do you want?” Carlitos said rubbing his arm.

Ker stepped off the throat of the thug on the ground and inspected the magnum in her hands. “Joana sent us.”

“Joana?!” Carlitos repeated in surprise.

“She thinks you’re dead.”

“Then she has to know I’m alive! I'm ready to help her escape, once and for all!” Carlitos thought for a moment. “Why am I even scared of Cachino and all those fuckers? Joana and I are dead anyway if we don't get the hell out of here.”

“Got a plan to get her out?” Ker asked as she flipped out the chambers on the magnum.

“Listen, no time to waste. Help her get to Freeside, that's our ticket out of this fucking city. I'll wait for you here. We only got one chance to get this right, you hear?”

Ker sighed deeply as she swung the chambers back into place on the magnum. “Alright. I’ll go get Joana. Boone, you wait here.”

“No.” Boone said sternly.

“No offense, but you stand out in a crowd. Unless you’re willing to lose the beret and the rifle I think everyone will recognize you.” Ker replied equally as sternly.

“Does that matter?” Boone asked roughly.

“I’m not eager to make an enemy out of the Omertas just yet.” Ker looked around. She pointed to a partly collapsed four storey building nearby. “There. It might be a bit of a climb, but you’ll be able to see over the wall from up there.”

“How will I pick you out of the crowd?” He asked with a bit of anger in his voice. Ker hesitated, thinking. Boone let her think for a moment then pulled his beret off his head and handed it to her. “Take this.” He said sternly. “Put it on when you leave Gomorrah.”

Ker looked at the offered hat with wide eyes. “I can’t wear **that**!” She said as she raised her hands in a refusal gesture.

“Then I’m coming with you.” Boone countered.

“Those are my only options, eh?” Ker said.

“Could call the whole thing off.” He added, still holding the beret out to her.

“Fine.” Ker finally relented and gently took the offered hat. “I’ll see you soon.” She said as she gently folded the beret and placed it inside her armour.

Ker turned to Carlitos. “Your gun has sand in the chambers.” She said as she tossed him the magnum. “You should fix that.” She then turned and hustled back to the Strip.

Carlitos stood beside Boone and watched her go. “After seeing what the Strip does to women, I’d never let **my** girl go ten feet without me.” He said into the night.

“She can look after herself.” Boone stoically replied.

“Yeah, I’m gonna have the bruises to prove that tomorrow.” Carlitos said, rubbing his arm.

Ker quickly grabbed a pair of clothes to go over her armour from Mick and Ralph’s then headed to Gomorrah. She got in without a fuss and slipped into the back area with little notice. Once there, she had to wait in a shadow for a few minutes for Joana to appear. The crowds in the casino helped Ker slip by most people and she got right up to Joana.

“Your room. Now.” Ker whispered and then faded into the background. It only took a few moments for Joana and Kandy to get away from the crowd and back to Joana’s room. Ker snuck in when they were inside.

“Well?” Joana asked eagerly.

“Carlitos is alive and we’re leaving now.” Ker explained quickly.

“Leaving?! No. It's too risky; we'll all end up dead!” Joana said sadly.

“Jo, this is what we want! They’ve already risked a lot for us. How can we say no?” Kandy implored.

“Alright.” It only took a few minutes for Joana and Kandy to find some clothes and grab a few things. Ker then lead the way and they headed back through the casino. They got to the weapons check without being accosted. Ker already knew this was far too easy. With her weapons back they headed out onto the Strip. Ker pulled out the red beret and awkwardly put it on.

“Are you First Recon too?” Kandy asked as they walked.

“No.” Ker said, smiling inwardly. “He lent me his hat.” She was practically beaming. She knew she was reading far too much into this; the red beret made her stand out in the crowd. That’s all. But for a brief moment, under the watchful gaze of her partner and friend, she let herself think that it could have meant more.

They left the strip without issue and headed through Freeside. “Listen.” She said quietly to the girls with her. “We’re being followed. When we reach Carlitos and his friends, try and get close to someone with a gun.”

Ker pointed to the alley they were coming up on and slowed down a bit. The girls went ahead toward the men and Ker took up ambush position around the corner.

“Well, we-“

Ker cut off the Omerta thug with an uppercut to the stomach then she disarmed him, put him in a painful chokehold and put her knife against his ribs. She then put her human shield between her and the other two thugs.

“By all means, finish that thought.” Ker said roughly.

“We had the whores clocked from the start.” The lead thug began from her chokehold. “But we thought Carlitos would be long gone by now. He should have fled with the caps he stole from the family.”

“Carlitos.” Ker asked loudly. “Did you steal from the Omertas?”

“I had a good thing going. Why would I ruin that?” Carlitos said sadly. “Cachino's a cunning bastard, told Nero and Big Sal he caught me spring cleaning my tributes to the family. So I ran. Can't do nothing against that viper.”

“Way I see it, you've got two choices. Live or die.” Ker said simply.

“Surrender? You don't seriously think that you can take on my crew, do you?” The thug said angrily, trying to overpower her.

“Your crew? You mean those two little men shaking like leaves?”

“They're not... are they? Okay, I'll deal with them later, after I deal with you by myself!” The thug finally broke free from Ker’s hold but she was expecting it. A simple shift and she slipped under his first punch. A twirl and she brought her knife up to his throat and rested the edge against his bare skin.

She feigned a yawn. “Really? That’s all? I was expecting more. My mistake I guess.” She shrugged. “So here’s the deal, three for three. You three go back to your boss and tell him Carlitos left and took Joana and Kandy with him.”

“And If I refuse?” The thug said boldly.

“Then I kill you and my sniper kills your pals.” She shrugged again. The other two thugs started looking around worriedly.

“I... I've got to make sure our boss hears about this! Otherwise you'd be dead.” The thug tried.

“Yeah, yeah. Get gone.” Ker said and lowered her knife. “And remember, my snipers watching.”

Angrily the three thugs headed out.

“I don't know how we pulled this off, for a minute there I thought we were not going to make it.” Carlitos sighed in relief. “Without you, we'd been on the losing end. Thank you so much for your help, friend. I take care of my debts. How can I repay you?”

“Goddammit.” Ker said quietly then continued louder. “I don’t charge for freeing people from slavery.”

“Really, you're one of a kind. Okay, friend, I hope to see you again, far away from this place.” Carlitos said gratefully.

“You truly are something else! Those Omertas looked like they were going to kill Carlitos on the spot.” Joana started. “I have nothing to give you except my thanks... and, well, if I were you I'd not mess around with the Omertas anymore, but listen to this. Cachino has said things that make me think there's a big and nasty operation in the works, something about ‘getting even’ with Mr. House. Just thought you'd like to know.”

Ker tossed her head back and groaned. “More work.”

“Is your friend coming back?” Kandy asked as she glanced around.

“Maybe.” Ker said. “He’s probably gonna watch those thugs all the way back to Gomorrah.”

“That there’s a good man.” Kandy whispered. “But he’s not yours?”

“No.” Ker said swallowing the lump in her throat. “He loves someone else.” Ker shrugged.

“I can’t imagine how hard that is for you.” Kandy said sadly.

“I’ve been through worse. Now you should all get going.” Everyone gave a last farewell and headed off; leaving Ker alone. She took off Boone’s beret and looked down at the patch.

“The last thing you never see.” She softly read the patch aloud. “My friend, my lion… and nothing more.” She leaned against the wall with his beret in her hands.

Boone sat on the fourth floor of the decaying building looking down his scope. He watched the thugs head back to the Strip. They weren’t running but it looked like they wanted to. When they disappeared into the crowd on the Strip, he swung his rifle around and scanned the area. He saw Carlitos, Joana, Kandy and the two thugs heading for the nearest gate to the desert. He watched to make sure they made it safely, and then he scanned the area again. He saw a couple of drunks, a few squatters, nothing suspicious. At last his scope fell back on the alley and Ker.

Ker was leaning against the wall of the alley. She had his beret held in two hands in front of her and was looking down at it. Boone was close enough he could make out the look on her face. She looked… at ease? He wasn’t really sure but she was staring at his beret. **His** beret; the one thing he was never without. That beret had seen so much of his life; Bitter Springs and Cottonwood Cove, both twice. Had he not overheard Ker and Veronica’s conversation yesterday he probably wouldn’t even be thinking about this. Tactically, it was the right move. With his beret, Ker had been easy to spot in the crowd. But handing over such a treasured possession, even for a few moments, had implications far greater than he had even considered. As much as he was worried about what Ker was thinking, he couldn’t help but feel at ease. He trusted her, with his beret, with the truth, with his life, with **everything** it seemed.

Boone shook his head briskly and slung his rifle over his shoulder. Ker would be wondering where he was. Carefully he scaled down the building. He made it safely back to ground level and headed to his partner. He found her in the alley. He opened his mouth to request his beret back but before he could speak she was in front of him, offering it back to him with two hands. Boone looked her in the eye. She knew. She knew the beret was merely the best tactical option and was meant as nothing more. Without a word he took the beret and fit it back on his head.

“We should head back to the Lucky 38.” She said when he was finished. Boone nodded and the two walked side by side back to the Strip.


	23. Sable

# Chapter 23: Sable

 

Ker and Boone were walking down the streets of Freeside a few days later. They were working on bringing some stability back to the area by helping the Followers of the Apocalypse. Arcade, Veronica and Cass were helping at the Fort. Ker and Boone had just finished negotiating a deal with the owners of the Atomic Wrangler to trade improvements to their alcohol stills for extra alcohol for medicinal purposes. They were heading back through a particularly rough section of town when Ker felt it.

“We’re being watched.” Ker said quietly. Boone just nodded in agreement. They continued on as if nothing was wrong. They could see the Fort at the end of the road when they heard it.

“Sable!” Ker knew the voice immediately and stopped abruptly. She turned quickly to see an older man with short black hair wearing a cowboy hat and a duster. He was very well geared; he had a gleaming sniper rifle on his back, a pair of .44 pistols on his hips and an old world Kevlar vest under his duster. He had his arms crossed over his chest and a smug look on his face. He also wasn’t alone. There were five other people around who might have been with him, milling about at various distances. The man dropped his arms to his sides and stalked toward his prey.

“Father.” Ker said flatly holding her ground as he approached. She looked at the ground in front of him and never met his eyes.

“Father?” Boone asked quietly in surprise. So this was him. This was Carter Cross; the bastard who handed his own daughter over to the Legion. Carter was shorter than Boone but still taller than Ker. He also easily saw the familiar resemblance between father and daughter.

“Daughter.” Carter said when he stopped half a dozen feet away from them. His eyes flicked between Boone, Boone’s beret and Ker. “Ah.” Carter said in realization. “ **Now** it makes sense. You confused me when you left the East. I was sure the lack of Legion bloodshed was due to your untimely demise. The recent massacres here in the Mojave drew my attention though; Nelson, Nipton, Bitter Springs, Cottonwood Cove. All much too difficult for the NCR to accomplish without taking drastic measures. Then I heard whispers of a raven haired courier. **Something** took you off the path I set for you but I see the NCR, or one of their snipers at least, has set you back on track. Tell me sniper, are you even aware of what you possess?”

“You think she’s a weapon.” Boone snarled in reply.

“Oh, very good!” Carter said gleefully. “But it’s not merely what I think, it’s the truth. And a weapon needs to be controlled. I am quite surprised at how well you’ve managed. But alas, all good things must come to an end, and while I do respect that you were able to keep her reigned in, she is no-one’s partner but mine.” Carter chuckled. “I’m afraid your luck has run out, sniper. Though I will leave you with your life, I will be taking my weapon back. Come Sable, we have work to do.”

Boone was caught off guard when Ker stepped away from his side to stand beside Carter. “Ker! What the hell are you doing?”

“Ker? Is that what she’s going by?” Carter said thoughtfully as he patted Ker on the shoulder. “It’s almost poetic. A roman spirit of violent death or to the less educated, an overly aggressive mongrel.”

“Ker, you **don’t** want to do this! Remember what he did to you!” Boone’s pleading eyes met with Ker’s. He knew now what Evander had seen in the desert. Ker’s eyes were hollow, cold and detached, virtually devoid of emotions and awareness.

“Oh, that’s sweet. You care about her.” Carter mocked. “You do know she’s incapable of reciprocating, correct? I made sure of it. To her, you’re nothing more than ranged support.”

“You think you know everything, don’t you? You don’t know **anything** about Ker!” Boone growled, his hands twitching toward his rifle.

“I know **everything** about **Sable**. I know I could tell her to kill you with your own rifle and she wouldn’t hesitate to comply.” Carter laughed. “But finding my weapon has left me feeling generous. I will give you **one** more chance to walk away, sniper.”

“I’m not leaving without her.” Boone growled as he took a menacing step forward.

Carter shrugged. “And so, it comes to combat. But there are too many witnesses here and I risk gaining the ire of the NCR. Sable, incapacitate the sniper.”

Boone barely had time to register Carter’s words before the wind was knocked out of him. The strike had a brutal force behind it that nearly caused him to lose his balance. He’d never felt a strike like that before, even when he and Ker had fought in the casino. Boone tried to defend himself but the strikes were fast and unrelenting. After being forced back a few steps he felt something hard hit him in the side of the head. He collapsed to the ground in a heap. He tried to stay conscious as the world around him swam and everything sounded far away.

“…conscious…”

“… work... Sable…”

Boone watched helplessly as several pairs of boots walked through his field of vision. One familiar pair of steel clad boots stopped where he could still see them. He couldn’t make out what was said, but the tone and cadence gave it away as being Ker. Carter responded and then Boone felt his pack and rifle being pulled off his back. A moment later his rifle was laid beside him where he could see it. He then felt someone pull his spare magazines out of his pockets. Finally he was left alone.

Boone drifted in and out of consciousness for he didn’t know how long. Eventually he mustered up the energy to sit up. Doing so scared off the few vagrants and drifters who had started to approach him in hopes of an easy target. Boone grabbed his rifle and got to his feet. He staggered to a nearby building and using the wall as support, he hazily made his way to the old Mormon Fort.

“Boone? Boone!” He heard and a moment later he felt his arm being pulled and walking suddenly got easier. There was a flash of faces he recognized and the knowledge that he was someplace safe let him relax slightly.

“…”

Boone could hear an earnest voice in the distance. It sure was persistent.

“… Boone…?”

Gannon. That was the voice. Everything was starting to get clearer now. “Hmm?” Boone responded.

“Boone! What happened? Where’s Ker?” Gannon asked urgently.

Boone snapped back to alertness and sat bolt upright on the table. “Gannon? Shit! How long was I out?” He demanded.

“Uh… Twenty minutes maybe? What happened? Veronica found you staggering down the street.”

“Ker’s been taken.” Boone said as he turned to get off the table.

“Taken?! By who?” Arcade asked in surprise.

“I have to go after her.”

“You can’t. You have a serious concussion. You need to rest.”

Boone pushed by Arcade and managed to get to his feet, though he did wobble a bit. “I need caps. They took my supplies.”

“You’re going no matter what I say, aren’t you?” Arcade sighed.

A few minutes later Boone was walking down the street toward Mick and Ralph’s with his rifle on his back and a bag of caps stowed safely in his cargo pants pocket. That’s when he felt it. There was something in his pocket. He reached into the pocket where his spare ammo had been and pulled out the cool metal object. Boone stopped and stared down at his palm in disbelief. There in his palm was the platinum chip. The very same chip that Ker kept with her at all times. She must have slipped it into his pocket when she’d taken his ammo.

Carter knew nothing about the platinum chip or the power it provided. Ker had done what little she could to prevent him from getting his hands on it. That meant she was still in there, somewhere. Boone picked up the pace. He owed a lot to Ker. He wouldn’t let her father use her anymore, not if he could do something about it. Even if it meant trying to get the drop on what was once considered the best of the Desert Rangers. Did he even stand a chance? He needed a plan. Just following their trail would likely result in a bullet in his head from several hundred yards.

Boone carefully considered his options and assets. He could ask for help. Ker had several companions and acquaintances who probably wouldn’t hesitate to help her. But would they understand? Would they understand how Carter had warped her mind? How he had almost complete control? Would they stand a chance if she didn’t hesitate? Would **he** stand a chance? He needed a plan and a damn good one.

Sable lay atop a ridge 1000 yards from Freeside. From where she lay she could see both gates. She watched through her scope as people came and went. After almost an hour of silent waiting she still hadn’t seen her mark. Still she watched and waited.

“Stay and wait for the sniper.” Her father had said. “I have a feeling he will not let you go so easily. If he does seek to follow us, kill him. I’ll return to collect you after I take care of some business.”

Sable stared down her scope, thoughtlessly and emotionlessly. Finally something caught her eye. A Veteran Ranger had come out through one of the gates to Freeside. The Ranger milled about chatting with traders and Kings and often surveying the wastes. Inspiration struck her and she brought her focus to the Ranger. Red eyed bulletproof ranger helmet, old world bulletproof armoured vest, dark flame retardant duster. Everything looked right. **Was** this a Veteran Ranger or was this a sniper in disguise? Was he looking to follow her trail without her noticing? Sable growled under her breath. Even if that **was** the sniper, she couldn’t kill him from here. The helmet and vest protected his vitals and she didn’t have any armour piercing rounds. She decided she’d watch the Ranger. If he tried to find her, she’d ambush him.

Sable surveyed the scene, searching for the sniper while keeping tabs on the Ranger. Without warning, a rifle shot split the air and her rifle was torn out of her hands.

“Fuck!” Sable grunted as she rolled in the directing her rifle flew down the slope in front of her. She slid down to where her rifle landed only to find the firing mechanism had been mangled by the bullet. Leaving her rifle behind, she headed in the direction the bullet had come from. She drew dual pistols with her sore hands and used the cover of the hill to advance on her attacker. She stayed low and stalked to where she thought the shot had come from. She popped up behind the hide only to find it empty. She heard another rifle shot rip through the air and felt the wind get knocked out of her as she was knocked off her feet. She landed hard on her back while barely keeping hold on her pistols. She stared up at the sky for a few moments. In that time she realized she’d been shot; high in the chest on her right side. Debilitating, yes. Deadly, no.

Groaning, Sable pulled herself to her feet. She started looking in all directions but she didn’t need to. He was directly in front of her, fifty yards away and walking her way. She raised her left pistol, since her right arm was mostly useless, and looked for a shot. There was no shot. He was almost unrecognizable in a suit of black combat armour that protected his vitals and instead of his beret, he wore a Veteran Ranger helmet. Even unable to see his face and without his beret, she knew it was the sniper. She’d travelled with him long enough to recognize that confident swagger he got after hitting his marks. He stopped twenty feet from her, well out of melee range. He’d learned from his previous mistakes.

“Drop the guns!” He demanded. It was rough and unfamiliar through the Ranger helmet.

Sable still held the pistol up, uselessly pointed at him. “What if I don’t?” She called back.

He leveled his rifle at her. “Made you a promise. If I have to kill you to keep it, so be it.”

Grudgingly, Sable dropped the pistols. “Now, wh-”

Before she could finish the sniper pulled something from behind his back and threw it at her feet. She dodged to avoid it but still got caught in the flashbang and hit the ground in a daze. Before she knew it she was pinned down by his much greater weight and then she felt a prick in her neck. A moment later everything went black.

“I’m sorry, Ker.” Boone said honestly as he tossed away the syringe Gannon had given him. With Ker asleep, he pulled off the stuffy Ranger helmet and took a few deep breaths of fresh air. He’d have to remember to thank Islington for providing such a convincing distraction when he returned the helmet. Finally he checked on his partner. She was out cold. He removed the weapons from her belt and her boots and found the multi tool hidden in her jacket.

Lastly, he checked her shoulder. The bullet was through and through, right through the soft tissue. He sighed in relief. His hands never shook when he was looking down the scope of his rifle, but this time had been different. This time he was shooting to wound. If he was an inch off in any direction his shot could have been lethal. Couple that with the pressure of shooting his own partner and Boone had considered taking a shot of Steady. He did what he could to staunch the bleeding. He’d have to wait until she was restrained before he applied a stimpak or she’d come around too quickly.

Ker was going to be furious with him. Not only had he destroyed her rifle but he’d shot her a **second** time. He was furious with himself for it. He should have taken what Ker had told him more seriously. He should have demanded she try to find help. He should have done something to prevent **this**. Instead he’d done nothing and now he had another regret. No matter how things played out, this would still haunt him.

With Ker’s wound staunched, he gathered up their belonging and stowed them in his pack. Carefully, he lifted Ker into his arms, trying to do as little further damage as possible. He headed back to Freeside.

With the shot that had been worrying him out of the way, now he was worried about what to do next. His plans ended with getting Ker back to the Lucky 38. Maybe killing Carter would be enough. Maybe she’d snap out of it. Maybe there was nothing he could do. No, he would kill Carter. Even if it didn’t bring Ker back, she deserved the revenge. He started putting a new plan together.

Islington, in his Veteran Ranger gear, was waiting for Boone just inside Freeside. “What the hell is going on, First Recon?!” He demanded when he saw Ker unconscious and bloody in Boone’s arms. Boone hadn’t discussed his plans with Islington or Gannon. He’d just demanded the help and both had agreed.

“You **never** should have let her father take her!” Boone replied roughly as he headed for the Strip. His anger was starting to get the better of him.

Islington walked beside him. “What are you talking about?”

“You know how the Legion conditions all their recruits to obey using physical and mental torture and abuse?” Boone growled.

“Yeah but-“

“ **Carter** did the same thing.” Boone seethed.

“What?” Islington asked in shock, falling behind a few steps before jogging to catch up.

“Guessing he ordered her to kill me and she sure as hell would have if you hadn’t distracted her.”

“You can’t be serious.” Islington countered.

Boone stopped and turned to Islington. “Then why don’t you go find Carter and ask **him**.”

“Carter’s here?!” Islington asked in surprise.

“He was in Freeside two hours ago. Find the bastard for me so I can blow his brains out.” Boone had had enough and started heading toward the Strip again, leaving Islington standing confused in the street. People gave him a wide berth as he headed for the Lucky 38. Both he and the woman in his arms were covered in blood and anyone who got within ten feet was fixed with a glare they immediately retreated from. He headed into the empty casino and up the elevator.

“Finally!” Arcade sighed exasperatedly as Boone stepped out of the elevator. His eyes went wide at what he saw but he was cut off before he could speak again.

“Chair. Now!” Boone demanded. “And rope, or something to restrain her.” Veronica grabbed a chair out of the kitchen and Cass grabbed a rope from the utility closet. Boone gently sat Ker on the chair and commenced tying her to it.

“Will you explain what the hell is going on?!” Arcade demanded.

“When I’m done.” Boone grunted, trying the ropes tightly and securely, but not **too** tightly. Finally, when he was sure she wouldn’t be able to get free; he headed over to the angry trio.

“She tried to kill me.” Boone said succinctly.

“What’d you do to piss her off?” Veronica asked angrily with hands on her hips.

Boone shook his head. How exactly was he supposed to explain everything? “Ker’s father spent over a decade brainwashing her into his perfect partner but when things got desperate he left her behind to the Legion so he could make his escape. **That’s** how the Legion got their hands on her.”

“What?!” Veronica said in surprise.

“You can’t be serious!” Cass said at the same time.

“Told me herself. Didn’t even realize what he’d done to her until I pointed it out.” Boone sighed. “Should have taken this more seriously. She seemed to be dealing with things.” He continued mostly to himself. “Her father surprised us in Freeside. He gives the orders and she follows them without a thought.”

“Arcade, he’s lying, right?” Veronica asked desperately. “I mean, you can’t have **that** sort of control over a person, can you?”

All eyes were on Arcade. Arcade considered carefully. “How young?” He finally asked.

“Five.” Boone answered.

Arcade sighed. “It’s **possible**. With enough time and effort…” Everyone went quiet.

They believed him; at least a little. That was all he needed for now. “Gannon, can you treat her shoulder? After that, no one goes within five feet of her.”

“What? Why?” Veronica asked in confusion.

“She’s desperate, resourceful and under orders. I can’t guarantee she won’t try to kill you.” Boone sighed.

Arcade nodded and went over to check Ker’s shoulder. He applied a Stimpak and the group waited for it to counteract the effects of the sedative Boone had given her.

“Boone?” Came a weak voice ten minutes later. Everyone looked up to see Ker’s head partially raised. “What’s going on? Why am I tied up?”

“Ker, are you with us?” Arcade asked carefully.

“I think so? What happened?” Ker said meekly.

Arcade gave a sigh of relief and went to step toward her. Boone stepped in front of him. “She’s lying.”

“How do you know?” Arcade asked, surprised.

“That’s not my partner.” Boone said roughly. His partner would have been pissed at being tied up, not weakly asking for help. Arcade nodded slightly and stepped back.

Ker’s whole demeanor changed. Her posture stiffened and she tested the security of the ropes. She brought her head up and fixed them all with angry eyes. “Guess you couldn’t kill me after all.” Ker snorted derisively. “Nothing more useless than a sniper with a **conscience**.” She laughed maliciously. “I mean, look what it’s got you: nothing but pain and misery. You’d be better off just getting over it. It's **war**. People **die**. Why should it matter whether they're soldiers or civilians?” Ker fixed Boone with a knowing and vicious smile.

Everything was quiet. Arcade tried to break the silence. “…Boone?”

Boone was silent, a cold expression on his face. Of **course** she would know how to hit him where he was weakest. He’d told her everything willingly. She would say whatever it took to get under his skin. He had to be ready.

“Boone?” Arcade tried again.

“What?” He finally replied angrily.

“What are we going to do? Deprogramming someone could take months, **years**.” Arcade said sadly.

“I want to talk with her. **Alone**.” Boone growled.

“Alone?” Veronica asked. “Is that safe?”

“Probably not.” Boone admitted. “But this is personal.”

“Maybe I should stay.” Arcade tried.

“No.”

Arcade sighed and threw up his hands. “Maybe I’ll go talk to Julie. She might have some ideas.”

Veronica and Cass exchanged glances. “We’ll go…” Veronica said sadly. “But don’t hurt her, alright?”

“She’s my partner.” Boone said sternly. All the while thinking she trusts him with her life.

A moment later, Boone and Ker were alone. Boone stiffly sat down on the nearby couch, thinking about how he was going to do this. Ker’s eyes were locked on him.

“I heard.” Boone finally admitted with a sigh. Ker didn’t respond. “The conversation between you and Veronica in the lounge; I heard it all.” Ker’s eyes widened a bit but otherwise she didn’t respond. “Shouldn’t have listened.” He said sadly, rubbing his face with his hand. “Things would have been easier if I hadn’t listened. I didn’t notice.” Boone chuckled humorlessly. “Talk about the gaze of a sniper. It was right in front of me and I didn’t notice. But you knew I wouldn’t notice. So you decided I didn’t need to know. You decided you’d keep things the way they were rather than risk losing me. You truly thought that if I knew, I’d leave.” Boone sighed sadly, dropping his face into his hands. “Can’t blame you for that. How many times have I told you about Carla? How many times have I been looking at you but thinking about Carla?”

Boone sat back and looked up at the ceiling; anything to not look at those grey eyes boring into him. “Truth is; I owe you, a lot. Everything, in fact. Know I can never repay you for the things you’ve done for me. For sticking with me after I nearly killed you in Vault 11, for saving my ass in Vault 3, for Bitter Springs, even for kicking my ass down in the casino.” Boone sighed again. “Want to tell you I care about you as much as you care about me; it’s what you **deserve**. But I can’t.” Boone finally worked up the nerve to look at Ker. Her head was hanging down again; he couldn’t see her eyes. “But the thing is, Ker, I **do** care about you; more than anyone or anything in this godforsaken wasteland. And I **never** expected that.”

“Carla is gone. And as much as I miss her, that part of my life is over now. Can’t keep focusing on the past if I want to see the future. And I **want** to see the future, Ker. Want to see the day we push back the Legion. Want to see the day the Courier’s name is on everyone’s lips. Want to see the day when I can say I was by her side and saw it all happen.” Boone shook his head. “Can’t guarantee what will come of this. Can’t guarantee that I’m the person you’re meant to spend the rest of your life with. The only thing I **can** guarantee is that I’m not going anywhere. I’m your partner, for as long you’ll put up with me.”

“I care about you, Ker, but… I don’t know if I’ll ever love again. But for you, I’ll **try**. Will you try and fight this, for **me**?”

Boone pushed himself to his feet and carefully approached his partner. When he reached the chair, he knelt down. Against his better judgement he reached out and pulled Ker into a hug. He knew he left himself wide open, but he didn’t care. He just held her and let her head rest on his shoulder.

“Please, kill me.” He heard meekly from beside his ear.

Boone swallowed hard. “I don’t think I could survive losing you.” A moment went by. “I’m going to kill Carter.” Boone said, still holding Ker.

“He won’t kill you. He’ll just make you **wish** you were dead.”

“He won’t get the chance.” Boone said gently. “Will you help me kill him?”

“What if I-“

“You’re stronger than he could ever imagine. You **know** I trust you.”

Ker swallowed hard. “Alright.”


	24. Carter

# Chapter 24: Carter

 

Cleaned up and fully armed, minus her destroyed rifle, Ker left the Lucky 38 following closely behind Boone. Outside on the Strip, Islington, still in his Veteran Ranger gear with his helmet under his arm, was waiting for them.

“Where is he?” Boone growled.

Islington tried to look at Ker, but she ducked behind Boone out of his sight. So he looked back up at Boone. “Scout saw him and four men headed east out of Freeside. Guessing he was headed for the mountains but wasn’t gonna risk a tail and be found out.” Boone reached into his pack and pulled out the Veteran Ranger helmet he’d been lent. “Keep it for now.” Islington said sternly. “You’re going to need it if you’re trying to get the drop on Carter.” He sighed. “I don’t like this one bit. This here’s a Desert Ranger problem. Should be us hunting him down.”

“You‘re welcome to join in.” Boone added. Having a Veteran Ranger along couldn’t hurt.

“I would, but I got orders. Already going to have to double time it just to get there in time.” Islington shook his head sadly. “If you do take down the bastard, bring me his badge. He never turned it in when he quit the Rangers. I’ll see you’re rewarded for it. Good luck, you’re gonna need it.” He finished as he put his helmet on. With a quick wave, he headed off to the monorail.

When Boone walked into the Old Mormon Fort, Arcade, Cass and Veronica all rushed him.

“Where is she?” Arcade demanded.

“She’s here.” Boone said gently, shifting slightly to let them see Ker, all but cowering behind him. When she noticed she’d been noticed, she quickly shifted back behind Boone.

“How is she?” Veronica asked carefully.

Boone hesitated. “Unstable.”

“You two look geared for a fight…” Arcade said accusingly.

“We’re going after her father.” Boone explained. He had to cut in before they all spoke at once. “I’m **not** gonna let that bastard control her anymore.”

“We should come with you!” Veronica pleaded.

“No.” Ker said quietly. “Too easy to kill. Boone has armour, I know my father.”

“Ker, are you really alright with this?” Arcade asked carefully.

Ker hesitated for a moment. “Boone once explained to me what a father is **supposed** to be. They’re supposed to protect you. They should be your friend and role model. They should love and care about you. They should want what’s best for you and for you to be happy. If **that’s** what a father is, then I have no father. He’s just a man who raised me.”

“Ker…”Veronica said sadly.

_They are all liabilities. They know too much. Kill them. Now._

Ker shook her head to clear the stern voice she’d gotten use to ignoring. It was louder now; almost overwhelming. “Boone. We need to go. Now.” She finally said.

Boone glanced back at his partner and saw the desperation in her eyes. He nodded to her. “We’ll be back.” He said to the trio and then followed as Ker hastily retreated to the street.

“We need supplies.” Ker said as she sagged against the wall of the fort. “Mortars, Claymores, mines. Something.”

“About that.” Boone started. “Combat armour isn’t cheap.”

Ker looked up at him in surprise. “What? We’re broke?”

“Enough for ammo and basic supplies. Not much else.” He said sadly. “But I can trade in the armour and-“

“No.” Ker interrupted firmly. “Let’s go then.”

Boone resupplied for them and they headed out into the desert.

“Where’s the Ranger helmet?” Ker asked her partner after they left Freeside.

“In my pack.” Boone said hesitantly.

“Put it on.” Ker demanded.

Boone wasn’t one to complain but the Ranger helmet was hot and stuffy and they were walking in the afternoon heat. “It can wait.”

Ker stopped beside him. “No. You **will** wear that helmet. I can’t guarantee Carter isn’t looking down a scope at us right **now**. That helmet is the only thing standing between you and a sniper round. Put it on or we’re going back to Freeside.”

“Those are my only options?” Boone asked grimly. Ker nodded and Boone sighed. He pulled the helmet out of his pack and glared at it.

“Why the hesitation?” Ker asked in confusion. “It’s got night vision and thermal imaging, as well as an air filtration system and radiation scrubbers. And it’s bulletproof. People literally kill for those helmets.”

“It’s… hard to breathe in.” Boone sighed.

“It shouldn’t be.” Ker snatched the helmet out of his hands. She started disassembling the mask portion. A few seconds later she pulled out two filters that were caked with sand, dirt and dust. She shook them out and rinsed them with some water from her pack. Then she reassembled the helmet and handed it back to Boone. “Try that.”

Boone took the helmet back. He stored his beret under the chest piece of his armour and his sunglasses in his pack then fit the helmet in place. It was a completely different experience. He felt some sort of air circulation in the helmet that almost felt like cool air on the back of his neck and his breathing wasn’t hindered at all. He would have to get used to the lack of peripheral vision but the rest of his vision was clear and no more hindered by the helmet then by his usual sunglasses. On the plus side the lens were also tinted to prevent glare. Properly functioning, he could see why people would kill for this helmet.

“Better?” Ker asked.

“Yeah.” Boone replied as he scanned the horizons.  Since he couldn’t see it, he was caught off guard when Ker’s gloved hand took his gloved hand. He almost pulled away, but didn’t. Outside of his field of view, Ker brought his right hand up to the right side of the helmet, near his temple. She put his three fingers on three buttons in a horizontal line.

“The one closest to the front is the headlamp.” She said as she toggled the button with his ring finger. Even in the desert sunlight he saw a flash of the bright headlamp before Ker toggled it off. “The middle is heat vison.” She toggled it on with his middle finger and Boone’s vision went blue. “Blue is cold. Red and orange are hot.” With his hand, Ker turned his helmet to look at her. He saw Ker’s face as hues of red and orange and her clothes as oranges and yellows. “Heat vision can be tricky, especially in the desert. A lot of the environment gives off latent heat. It might take a while to get used to.” She flicked off the heat vision and Boone could see her normally again. “The last one is night vision.” She put pressure on his index finger but not enough to toggle the button. “Your vision will go neon green but it’ll be easy to see. I won’t flick it on now or it will blind you. Don’t try and use any together or it will reset and toggle them all off.” Ker removed her hand from Boone’s.

“Guess you’ve had some experience with these helmets.” Boone’s voice was still a little rough coming through the filters but not nearly as bad.

“I tended my father’s gear.” Ker said as she started walking again. “I always figured I’d have a set of my own someday.”

“We looking for a trail?” Boone asked as he caught up with Ker.

“We could. But Izzy said east, towards the mountains. He’ll be there; in a cave most likely. He won’t camp on the plains if he can avoid it.” Ker explained matter of factly.

“We won’t get there before nightfall.” Boone said.

“It’s a good thing Izzy lent you night vision then, isn’t it?” Ker replied.

They had been walking for an hour when Boone noticed Ker rubbing at her face with her hand and not paying attention to their surroundings. A glance out of the corner of his eye wasn’t an option anymore so to see his partner beside him, he needed to overtly turn his head. Had she been more aware, she would have likely commented on his frequent glances.

“Ker?” He said, pulling her to a stop with his hand on her shoulder.

_If he does seek to follow us, kill him._

“If he does seek to follow us, kill him.” Ker repeated what her father had told her, what the voice in her head kept repeating.

“Is that what he said?” Boone asked gently.  He saw Ker was shaking and she eventually knelt down, probably to keep from falling down. Boone knelt beside her. While she rubbed at her face with her right hand, Ker brought her left hand up and grabbed her shoulder, hard. Boone saw her start to squeeze.

“What the hell are you doing?!” He shouted as he reached up to pull her hand off her injured shoulder. He was too late and saw the fresh blood on the bandages.

“I can’t focus…” She panted in pain. “Every step...”

_Kill him._

“Kill him.” Ker hesitated. “The pain…. Makes a good distraction.”

“There are other ways to distract yourself.” Boone said angrily.

“Like… What?” Ker asked, still panting.

“Ask me something.” Boone provided.

“What?” Ker asked.

“Anything and I’ll answer it. But you only get one. Choose carefully.”

Ker nodded and Boone gave her a hand up. They kept walking. Ker had something to focus on now besides her father’s voice. One question. She spent the rest of the day thinking.

“What do you see?” Ker asked as she lay beside Boone on a ridge in the dark of night.

“Three… no. Four.” Boone replied as he looked down the scope of his rifle through the Ranger helmet. “Night vision.” He said happily. “I could get used to this.”

“I doubt my father is out with them. Guard dogs are sufficient to guard a door. Do you see a cave entrance?” Ker asked. She could see nothing at the distance he was looking except the campfire.

“I think so. I’ll clear the guard dogs.” Boone said as he started to steady his breathing.

“Wait.”

“What?” Boone asked as he looked over at Ker.

“I think…” Ker began. “I think I feel… bad… for them? If he has their loyalty, it’s through fear.”

“Ker?”

“It’s only four of them.” She assured. “Don’t fire first. I might be able to get them to leave.”

Ker used the darkness to her advantage as she approached the cave. Finally she stared at the back of a head in front of her. She was crouched in a shadow, knife in hand, behind one of the guards to the cave. She inched forward and placed the blade of her knife against the side of the guard’s throat. “Quiet.” She whispered. She saw the guard swallow but he didn’t make a sound. “Carter is sacrificing all of you to satisfy his own sick curiosity. If you want to live, gather the other guards and leave. You don’t owe him your lives. If you stay, or alert him I’m here, I will kill you all.” Ker slipped back into the shadow and watched as the guard ran for the others. He argued with them for a short time before they all seemed to nod in agreement. Then the guard came back to where Ker could have killed him.

“Are you here?” He asked looking around. Ker didn’t give away her location. “Ah… well… We’re leaving. Carter’s in the back. Kill the son of a bitch for us, will ya?” He said before he headed back to the group who were packing up. Ker watched as the group of four quietly packed their supplies and headed down the hill. When she was satisfied that they were gone she proceeded to the mouth of the cave. There, she kicked dirt on the fire to put it out and then waited. A few minutes later she heard the soft crunch of soil from behind her.

“Are you ready for this?” Boone asked as he approached the cave.

Ker swallowed hard. “No, but I never will be.”

“Do we sneak in?”

“We can’t sneak up on him. No point in trying.”

Boone nodded and led the way into the cave with his rifle at the ready. Ker followed close behind. They headed into the cave until they came to a corner. Beyond the corner was lit by firelight. Boone flicked off the night vision and stepped around the corner.

“Someone better be dead, Geiger.” Carter called the instant Boone stepped into the light. Boone didn’t respond and Ker kept quiet behind him. A few feet ahead of Boone the tunnel opened up into a large, roundish cavern. Along the walls were half a dozen beds and various supplies on shelves. At the end of the cavern stood Carter. He was standing, leaning over a table staring at something on the table. The light came from a lantern on the table. When he didn’t get a response, Carter looked up toward the tunnel. He looked at Boone pensively for a moment. “The sniper?” He finally deduced. Boone saw many thoughts pass through Carter’s mind before he spoke again. “Is she dead or with you?” He finally asked.

Hesitantly, Ker stepped out from behind Boone.

Carter stood up from the table and crossed her arms. “Hmm. She is damaged, rifle-less but still alive. You brought her back to me, nonetheless. Tell me sniper, have you come to kill me or join me?”

“Join you?!” Boone repeated in surprise.

“Yes. Your hatred of the Legion runs almost as deep as my own. That much is evident. Your skill with a rifle is unquestionable. And you understand my daughter’s situation. With my daughter returned to me and your support we could return to the East and begin a new massacre.”

“I won’t let you use Ker anymore.” Boone growled roughly.

Carter threw his head back and laughed. “Oh, the hypocrisy of the NCR! You refuse to let me use my own daughter, yet wasn’t it you who used her to remove several hard targets in the Mojave?”

Boone gritted his teeth.

“Ah, silence in the face of the truth, as with most from the NCR.” Carter walked around the table to lean back against it. “Like you, I simply used all the tools at my disposal in my fight against the Legion.” Carter said innocently. “She is, after all, **my** daughter. To be used as **I** see fit. Would you not sacrifice **one** child’s life to push back the Legion? Surly you’ve seen the atrocities they commit. What is one child’s life worth out here in the wasteland anyways? I made her strong. I made her a survivor. I made her a weapon. Albeit, I should have started when she was younger but I couldn’t stand the brat. At five she was tolerable. It’s amazing the way you can sculpt a young mind into exactly what you desire.”

“That’s revolting.” Boone seethed in anger.

“I simply do what must be done.” Carter said sternly. “But alas, I bore of explaining myself to an NCR Neanderthal. Sable, kill the sniper.”

Boone glanced over in time to see Ker grab her head. “No.” She replied meekly.

“That’s not the right answer.” Carter said as he stood up from the table. “The right answer is ‘yes, sir’.”

“No!” Ker said sternly.

“Tsk, tsk. I guess we do this the hard way.” Carter said shaking his head. “Sable Cross, I order you to kill the sniper.”

Boone saw Ker’s eyes go wide. She brought a hand up to her face and collapsed to her knees. Then he saw the same blank stare he saw back in Freeside.

“Ker…?” Boone said hesitantly.

“Yes, sir.” Ker said flatly. She drew her knife as she leapt up toward Boone. With Ker as close as she was, Boone had no choice but to drop his rifle in order to defend against the first strike.

Carter laughed. “Ah, all my hard work finally pays off. Kill the sniper so I can point you back at the Legion.”

Ker went to strike again but Boone noticed her movements were stiff and jerky. Enough so he was able to defend against the next few strikes. “Ker, listen to me. You don’t **have** to do this! He can’t **force** you!” Boone said harshly.

“Don’t bother, sniper. I had **twelve** years to perfect this conditioning. What have you had, a few months to break it? If you even knew to try.”

Boone knew Ker’s biggest weakness. She was fast, but she wasn’t strong. He grabbed her hand with the knife in it and held firm. “Ker, I don’t know the hell he’s put you through to have this kind of control but I **do** know what it’s like to go through hell. I couldn’t have done it without you help.” Boone saw Ker go for her pistol and he just barely caught her hand in time

“Oh, I know that counter!” Carter said gleefully. “Aw, she recognized your failings and tried to improve on them.”

Boone ignored Carter and forced Ker against the wall. “Ker! I’m not strong enough to do this on my own! I **need** your help!” Boone saw the light return to Ker’s eyes. Then she glared at him. Everything happened very fast after that. Ker dropped the knife in her hand and counter grabbed Boone’s wrists. Shots rang out as she shifted and pulled him back around the corner. The two partners tumbled onto the floor of the tunnel.

“Sable!” They heard roared from the cavern. Ker drew her pistol and knife while on her back and focused on the corner.

“Boone?” Ker asked in concern.

“Damn. He’s a good shot.” Boone wheezed from beside her on the ground.

“You’re hit?” Ker asked.

“Once, for sure.” Boone said as he put pressure on his thigh. One of the bullets had found the seam in him leg armour.

“So that was all it took, eh?!” They heard from the cavern. “Some **choice** words from a new partner. Dammit! All that work! I’ll just have to start again. I’ve read some fascinating things on mental conditioning in some old Enclave records that I’m eager to try. Hmm or maybe start with a younger child…”

“No! Not again! **Never** again!” Ker yelled getting to her feet, with gun still at the ready.

“Oh? And who exactly is going to stop me?” Carter goaded from around the corner. “You and the sniper? Don’t make me laugh. **You** can’t beat me.”

“Maybe not.” Ker replied loudly with a sick grin. “But trying will give Boone enough time to get away.”

“I’m not leaving.” Boone said sternly as he pushed himself up to a seated position.

“Yes, you are.” Ker said, lowering her voice. “Treat that leg. Find a vantage point and put a bullet in his head from a mile away for me.” She seethed as she kicked his rifle toward him.

“Take your chance, sniper.” Carter shouted from the cavern. “I’ll catch you either way.”

“Go, Boone. Please.” Ker said sadly. “Tell Izzy. He’ll help.”

“Oh? Islington’s not dead yet? **That’s** a surprise.”

Boone knew he was a liability here. As long as he stuck around, Ker would need to defend him. “You better catch up with me!” Boone said as he struggled to his feet with the help of his rifle. As Boone got to his feet Carter made his move and charged around the corner. Ker met him head on.

“Go! Dammit!” Ker said as she pushed her father back. Boone limped down the tunnel, hearing the clash of steel and bodies in the distance, occasionally punctuated by the sound of a bullet.

“Ah! So the overly aggressive mongrel finally turns on its master.” Carter said during a lull in combat. Ker didn’t answer as she panted for breath. “A pity; I had such high hopes for you. You do know you cannot win this fight, correct?”

“You’re right. I can’t **win**.”

When Boone got outside he dug through his pack to find a Stimpak and med-x. He injected both into his leg. Who was he kidding? Boone couldn’t leave. Not after she had been there for him through everything. He had to go back. He headed back into the tunnel. The eerie silence worried him. He finally made his way back to the cavern. In the middle of the cavern, on the ground were two bodies.

“Ker!” Boone made his way over to the bodies. The closest was Carter. He was dead, a knife in his heart. Ker was beside him. She wasn’t moving but she didn’t look dead. Boone knelt down and looked her over. She had a gaping would in her stomach that was bleeding heavily. That meant she was still alive!

“Ker!” Boone treated the wound with a Stimpak and tried to stop the bleeding.

“Hmm?”

“Ker!”

“Boone?”

“Yeah.”

“Should’ve known you wouldn’t leave.”

“Not a chance. What happened?”

“Couldn’t win.” Ker paused as she coughed up blood. “Needed a draw.”

“You’re still alive, I’d call that a win.” Boone tried to reassure.

“Not for long…”

Boone pulled Ker into his lap only for her eyes to fall closed shortly after.  “Hey! You can’t die on me. Not after I shot you a **second** time. You still owe me one for that.” Boone said playfully. “And I owe you a new rifle.”

“Boone?” Ker breathed. “I’m… tired.”

“I know.”

“Thank you, Boone…”

“For what?” He asked confused.

“I never wanted to die alone.” Ker finally passed out.

Boone started to panic. Ker was hurt badly. If she didn’t get medical help soon, she’d probably die but she was in no shape to walk and he was in no shape to carry her. Radios. Boone dug through Ker’s bag to find the handhelds Veronica had made.

“Courier to Lucky 38. If anyone’s there please respond.” Silence. He was in a cave. He had to go outside. He gently lifted Ker and put her in one of the beds. He made her as comfortable as possible before heading outside into the brisk night. “Courier to Lucky 38. Courier to Lucky 38. If anyone’s there please respond.” He waited as he listened to the staticy air. He’d almost given up hope when a crackly voice came out the radio.

“Lucky 38 responding. Boone, is that you?”

The voice sounded female. Judging by Veronica’s technical know-how he guessed it was her. “Veronica, Ker is hurt bad. We need help. East of the Strip, in a cave in the mountains.”

“Understood. Arcade is gathering supplies. Are you alright?”

“If I was I would meet you halfway.”

“Understood. We’re leaving now but none of us are experts at following trails so we may need help!”

“Understood.”

Ker woke to silence. It was unexpected and refreshing.

_Sable? Father?_ She got no response, just her own voice echoing in the void.

“Ker, are you back with us?”

_Us?_

“Boone.” Ker groaned as she tried to sit up. She felt heavy hands holding her still.

“Woah. Don’t even think about moving! You can’t lose any more blood!”

“Arcade?” Ker asked as she tried to clear her bleary eyes.

“Yes, it’s me.”

“Where’s Boone?”

“He’s asleep.”

“Is… is he alright?” Ker said hesitantly.

“It took minor surgery to remove the bullet but everything went well. He’ll be fine in a few days.”

“Carter?”

“Who?” Arcade asked in confusion.

“He’s dead.” Ker heard the gruff voice from nearby. “Get some sleep.”

Ker wasn’t sure if she fell back asleep or passed out. Either way she could tell when she woke up she’d been out for a while. She opened her eyes to look around. She recognized the cavern.

“Don’t move around too much.” Ker heard the gruff voice from nearby. “Gannon wants you to rest but he doesn’t want to drug you again.”

“Boone.” Ker said tiredly.

“Yeah. Gannon, Veronica and Cass are here too. I… told them what happened.”

“It was never a secret. I just don’t like talking about it.” Ker assured Boone. She glanced around the cavern at her friends then her eyes fell on the sheet that covered a body on the floor. “Will you give me a hand Boone?” Boone shared a glance with Arcade, who nodded tentatively. He then carefully helped her up. Ker walked over and looked down at the body.

“Where’s his rifle?” Ker asked, glancing around.

“Here.” Boone said pointing to it standing up against the cave wall near a bed.

“It’s all yours, Boone.”

“Don’t you want it?” He asked.

Ker shook her head. “It’s too heavy for me.” She then knelt and frisked the body. She tossed a Texas Ranger star shaped badge with the name _Cross_ etched into the metal, to Boone. “There’s your proof for Izzy.” She pulled his pistols off his belt and then pulled off his Kevlar vest. Once Carter had been looted, Ker looted his bags. She pulled out a tablet like object that looked much like her Pip-Boy only it was red. “You can have this, Arcade.”

“A ‘Pip-Boy 2500’?” Arcade asked, taking the offered item and reading the name on its face aloud.

“There is a lot of useful information in that thing; everything from Legion tactics to Ancient Roman history. My father… also kept logs. I… don’t think I want to hear them.” Ker said sadly before standing up and looking down at the body.

“Will you…” Ker started hesitantly. “Will you help me bury him?”

Everyone pitched in digging a shallow grave in the desert near the cave. Once they finished, Carter Cross was laid to rest. Ker stood at the foot of the grave looking down at the body for several minute before finally giving the okay to bury him. With nothing keeping them tied to the cave any longer, the group slowly headed back to the Strip.


	25. Cross

# Chapter 25: Cross

 

“How is she?” Boone asked as Arcade closed the door to the master bedroom behind him.

“Physically? I’d say she’s at about 95%. The rest will sort itself out in time.” Arcade sighed. “But mentally? **Emotionally**? Your guess is as good as mine. Have you talked to her?”

Boone let out a heavy breath. “No, not since we got back. She hasn’t left her room. I wanted to… give her some space.”

“As commendable as that is, I think right now she needs a **friend** more than she needs space.” Arcade gestured for Boone to follow him. “Cass made some lunch. Will you take some to her for me?”

Boone nodded and a few minutes later he found himself outside her door with a tray of food in his hands. Hesitantly, he knocked.

“Come in.” Was called quietly from behind the door. Boone opened the door and went in. At first he didn’t see her. She was sitting beside the bed, leaning against the side of the mattress and looking out the glass door to the balcony. Boone walked over and put the tray down on the nearby desk before sitting down beside her without a word. They sat, side by side, staring out the window at the blue Nevada sky for several minutes.

“I lost it, Boone.”

“Lost what?”

“That drive, that determination, that sense of purpose I used to have. It’s gone. With my father’s death, it’s like parts of me are falling away. I don’t know who I am anymore.”

“Who do you **want** to be?”

“What?”

“Sable or Ker?”

“I don’t think I’m **either** of those people anymore.”

“Then, someone else?”

“I don’t **want** to be Sable. I don’t **want** to be Ker. I’m neither and yet, I’m both; a cross between the two.” She smiled gently. “Cross.”

“Cross?” Boone asked, looking over at her.

“You go by your last name.” Cross said with a smile as she looked over at him. “Melium est nomen bonum quam divitae multae. A good name is the best of all treasures. I will be my father’s daughter. I will be a spirit of violent death. But most of all, I will be me.”

After a few moments, she continued. “Did you get that badge to Izzy?”

“Not yet.” Boone answered.

“Arcade gave me a clean bill of health. It’s not much, but we can go turn it in. It’d probably be good for me to get some fresh air. Meet you in the foyer in twenty?”

Twenty minutes later, Cross stepped out into foyer in a mishmash of gear. As much as she still wanted little to do with her father, she couldn’t deny they used similar loadouts. As she’d recovered, she’d spent time tailoring her father’s Kevlar vest to fit her properly. She wore the dark vest with a light jacket, her normal steel clad boots and gloves and a pair of cargo pants. She’d upgraded her 9mm pistols to her father’s .44s and had them on her belt with her usual knives. She also had her father’s cowboy hat on and a pair of sunglasses. Other than her still absent rifle, she felt ready to face the world.

Boone was already waiting in the foyer. He still sported the suit of black combat armour. He had Carter’s sniper rifle slung over his shoulder and his 9mm pistol on his thigh. He wore his usually beret and sunglasses instead of the Ranger helmet he would need to return. In his hands he also held his hunting rifle.

“I know you’re good, but even you can’t wield **two** rifles.” Cross smiled as she greeted him. “We stopping by Mick and Ralph’s?”

Boone shook his head. “I owe you a rifle.” He said as he held the worn and used but much loved rifle out to her.

“I can’t take that.” Cross said, shaking her head.

“You need a rifle. This one isn’t being used.” He argued.

Cross wanted to argue. She wasn’t sure just how much of Boone’s life that rifle had seen. Was that the rifle he used at Bitter Spring? Was that the rifle that killed Carla? Was that the rifle that came close to killing her, twice? “Boone, that rifle is important to you.”

“You’re right.” He agreed. “That’s why I want **you** to have it.”

“If you’re certain.” Cross finally nodded and took the rifle. She tested the feel of it before slinging it over her shoulder.

“We’ll both need some time to get accustomed to our new gear.” Boone stated and Cross nodded in agreement.

The well clad and intimidating duo left the Lucky 38 around lunchtime. The Strip wasn’t busy and they quickly reached the Monorail. A lot of soldiers stopped and stared as they passed. Cross showed the guards her letter when they arrived at the platform.

“You’re the Courier and the First Recon sniper.” The one guard said as he handed back the letter. “Ambassador Crocker asked us to keep an eye out for you. He wants to speak with you at the embassy when you have a moment.”

Cross nodded. “We’ve been busy. We’ll try and go today.”

The guard nodded and opened the door for them. Cross actually enjoyed the monorail ride. She was in high spirits until they reached the platform at McCarran and saw the Veteran Rangers on guard.

“What’s with all the Rangers?”

“Word is they finally got recalled from Baja.” Boone answered. “Gonna be seeing a lot more of them now.” Boone hesitated. “I can speak to Islington alone.”

“What?” Cross said in surprise. “No, I just didn’t know. Let’s go.”

Boone led the way to the section of the base where the Rangers gathered.

“I haven’t seen so many sets of red eyes since the Unification meeting.” Cross said as they walked. Most of the Rangers had their helmet off but finding Islington among them was no easy job. Eventually they got pointed in the right direction.

“Izzy!” Cross called when she saw him. More than one Ranger turned at the shout and several chuckled at the diminutive nickname.

“Sable Cross.” Islington said affectionately. Several of the Rangers started whispering and Cross saw more than a few staring. Islington glanced between her and Boone. “I’ve been waiting for word.”

Boone reached into his pocket and tossed the badge to Islington. The Ranger caught it and stared down at it. “Unbelievable.” He said, otherwise speechless.

“That’s the Cross badge, no question.” Another Ranger said, looking over Islington’s shoulder. “A lot of Crosses carried that badge before Carter went rogue.”

“They don’t mean nothing anymore but a lot of us old timers still hang onto them.” Islington said nostalgically. “Seems a shame to destroy it when there’s still a Cross doing Ranger’s work.”

Cross crossed her arms over her chest as she spoke. “I’m no Ranger; Desert or NCR. I’m just a wanderer, doing what needs to be done.”

The Ranger behind Islington started to laugh. “No man in the wrong can stand up against a woman that’s in the right and keeps on a-coming.” A hush fell over the crowd as the nearby Rangers stared.

Cross smiled at the old Ranger behind Islington. “Hell, only need one Ranger for one riot.” She was pensive for a second. “I know you. You’re important.” She wracked her brain, trying to remember. “Wit…locks? Whitlox?”

“I’m thinking we make a small addendum to the records.” Whitlox said loudly. “That there Unification Treaty we signed stated, and I quote, ‘Henceforth shall the organization known as the ‘Desert Rangers’ cease operations, and all currently serving members shall be absorbed into the New California Republic Army as soldiers bearing the rank and responsibilities of Ranger.’ Now if I recall correctly, you were at that Unification meeting and of an age to be serving at the time but Carter’s actions prevented you from joining the NCR along with the rest of us. That would make you the last serving Desert Ranger. And this here badge?” Whitlox took the Silver Star badge from Islington. “Should have rightly gone to you when Carter went rogue. I reckon it’s only fair to return it to where it belongs.” Whitlox stepped forward and handed the badge to Cross. She looked down at the palm sized silver star in a wheel affectionately.

“Now I ain’t got as much pull as I use to, but I’m gonna do some talking and see if I can’t get our prodigal daughter recognized as the Last Desert Ranger.” Whitlox said with a smile. “It won’t mean much beyond a title, but it’s one you should’ve had all along.” Whitlox then lowered his voice so only Cross could hear. “Islington told some of us old timers what Carter did. Knowing the man, it doesn’t surprise me. He was always one to push the limits. I’m glad someone finally put the bastard down. He was a disgrace to what we stood for.”

“I don’t need this.” Cross said quietly, offering back the badge.

“I know.” Whitlox replied. “But I… we want you to have it.” Whitlox sighed loudly. “Now I gotta go write some letters and chitchat with some officers.” Whitlox shook Cross’s hand and headed off. The group around them started to disperse.

“Islington.” Boone called and the Ranger walked over. Boone handed back the Veteran Ranger helmet.

“I’d like to let you keep it, but officially it’s NCR property.” Islington said as he took the helmet back.

Cross snorted. “Whoever’s helmet it is should be written up for failing to do regular maintenance. The filtration system was clogged with debris.”

Islington laughed. “I’ll mention it to him.” He then reached into his duster and pulled out a sack of caps. “As promised, First Recon.”

Boone looked over at his partner. “Didn’t do it for the caps.”

Islington smiled back at him. “Good to hear. But you can’t tell me taking down Carter didn’t cause considerable expense.” Boone nodded and took the sack. “Stay safe you two.” Islington said with a nod and then headed off.

“That was unexpected.” Cross said letting out a sigh and looking down at the badge still in her hand.

“The Last Desert Ranger.” Boone said with a smile. “Ranks up there with The Vault Dweller.”

“Oh, don’t you start.” Cross scolded playfully. “Come on. Let’s go find that ambassador. People keep giving me funny looks.”

Cross collapsed on a bench on the monorail platform. The guard had told her and Boone that a major supply shipment had just left for the Strip and it would likely be a while before the train came back. The platform was empty except for the two partners.

“I finally settled on a question, Boone.” Cross said from her spot on the bench.

“I’m listening.” Boone replied from the nearby wall he was leaning against.

“Did you mean it?” She asked as she stared down at a broken tile. Boone didn’t reply immediately so Cross continued. “You obviously overheard me and Veronica, so you know how I feel. You told me what I **needed** to hear and it brought me back; it gave me the strength to fight. You said what was necessary to save my life. But, the thing is; I think I’d understand if you didn’t mean it. So I’m giving you an out. Tell me you didn’t mean it and I’ll forget what you said. I understand that you may never love again. And that’s okay. That’s who you are and I don’t want to change you.” Cross heard a heavy sigh and solid footsteps before she felt Boone sit next to her on the bench.

He took a deep breath before he began. “In Freeside, when you stepped away from my side… my heart sank. I thought I’d lost you. When I looked into your eyes, I didn’t see **you** there and that **terrified** me. Then, out in the desert with you under my crosshairs… I couldn’t make my hands stop shaking. I’ve been shutting you out. Every time you try and get close, I remind myself it’s just something else I can lose. I know losing anything… any **one** else…  I know it will break me. I’m… scared.” Boone chuckled humourlessly. “Big, tough, First Recon sniper and I’m too scared to let you know how I feel.”

“I don’t know if this is love.” He continued. “It isn’t the same as… before. But whatever it is its strong enough that I never want to let you out of my sight. So I stand by what I said.”

Cross nodded her head in understanding. “That makes me happy. I’m in no hurry though. Take all the time you need. I think we both need time to figure things out.”

They sat in silence for a while. Eventually Cross pulled the Texas Ranger badge out of her pocket to look at again.

“What are you gonna do with it?” Her partner asked, also admiring the worn star.

“I dunno.” She answered honestly. “I’ve never had a memento before. I’ve lost everything too many times in my life to risk attachment and I’ve never worked to earn something like your beret.”

“I’d say you earned that.”

“I supposed; in a way.” Cross thought for a moment. “My father always kept it hidden away. Most people probably don’t even know what it means anymore.” She reached down to her right thigh holster and wove the badge through the belts and buckles until it was securely held in place.

Eventually the monorail arrived and the duo boarded. They rode back to the Strip and made their way to the embassy. Once inside they were hastily directed to a backroom where the ambassador was working.

“Well, well!” The ambassador greeted as he stood up from his desk. “It's good to see such outstanding heroes of the NCR.” He walked around his desk and approached Boone. “Retired Sergeant Craig Boone.” He began as he shook Boone’s hand. “Born March 31st, 2255 in Junktown. Enlisted in Junktown in 2272 at the age of 18. Showed promise on the firing range during basic training and was selected to participate in First Recon marksmanship training. Officially assigned to First Recon in 2273. Assigned spotter was one Corporal Manny Vargas. Participated in the First Battle of Hoover Dam in 2277. Proven track record of exemplary marksmanship. Served with distinction until his retirement in 2280.”

“So, you’ve read my file.” Boone said grimly, finally pulling his hand back from the overzealous ambassador.

“Indeed.” The ambassador said with a smile. “I could go into much further detail but I think that will suffice.” He turned to Cross. “But you miss; I have nothing concrete on who you are. There are rumors, of course, that you are one Sable Cross, daughter of Carter Cross; a legend among the Desert Rangers. Beyond that, other rumours indicate you may be this mysterious courier who rose from the grave after being shot in the head in Goodsprings several months ago.”

“I am Sable Cross.” Cross said with a sigh. “And I am that courier.”

“I see. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Cross.” The ambassador said as he shook her hand. “I’m Dennis Crocker, NCR ambassador to New Vegas.”

“We got word you wanted to see us?” Cross prompted.

“Indeed, I do. Please sit.” Crocker indicated a couch and Cross and Boone made themselves comfortable while the ambassador sat across from them. “It's a very important matter, and I have a strong feeling that you're the perfect people for the job. I'm going to keep this as simple as possible so we don't waste each other's time.” Crocker sighed. “The NCR is in a bit of a tight spot with all that is going on with Mr. House and the Legion.”

“No shit.” Cross interrupted sarcastically. “You mean the lack of soldiers at Bitter Springs and Forlorn Hope **wasn’t** intentional?”

“I am aware of all the assistance you have provided to the NCR and I am truly grateful.” Crocker placated. “As you are no doubt aware, something big is going to happen soon. The NCR is in a tight spot. But... if we fail now, it's the people here that are going to suffer the most. I'm not willing to let that happen, and I don't think you're the kind of people that would either. In exchange for your help, you would receive complete amnesty for any past crimes against the NCR, as well as additional benefits and perks. And if you prove to be loyal and capable agents, well... let's just say there's a lot of work to be done, and the NCR is a good friend to have.”

“Keep talking.” Cross prompted.

“To the Northeast is a settlement. The locals here call them Boomers.”

“The Boomers?!” Boone repeated in surprise.

“I take it you are aware of them, sergeant. They are sitting on a munitions stockpile that would be invaluable to us. I would like you to get in contact with them, and then do whatever it takes to convince them to help us. People with your backgrounds and reputations would have a better chance of reaching them than anyone I have available.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t follow.” Cross said in confusion. “I haven’t been in the Mojave long. Who are these Boomers and why do you need us?”

“The Boomers are xenophobic tribals armed with even more firepower than the Gun Runners.” Crocker began.

“Xeno… phobic?” Cross pondered. “Stranger… fear? They’re afraid of outsiders?”

“Indeed they are.” Crocker continued. “So much so in fact, they fire artillery at anyone who even enters their land.”

“Artillery? Like mortars?”

“Howitzers, specifically.”

“How-it-zers.” Cross thought hard. “I haven’t heard that word before.” She admitted sadly.

Boone broke in then. “It’s kind of like a mortar, but a hell of a lot bigger. Old world tanks sometimes had them.”

“Okay. So let me make sure I have this right: You want me to run through a field of artillery fire to have a chat with people who may or may not want to shoot me in the face.” Cross said skeptically.

“Err…” The ambassador began. “Yes. That about sums it up.”

Cross looked down at her lap as she thought. Her eyes drifted to her silver star badge. “So you can use the how-it-zers on the Legion?”

“Correct, or at least something to that effect.”

Cross kept thinking. “Can I think about it?”

“Of course.” Crocker said happily. With that the parties said their farewells and Cross and Boone headed down the Strip toward the Lucky 38.

Boone broke the silence quite quickly. “What did he mean by ‘rose from the grave after being shot in the head’?”

“Hmm? Exactly that. I told you I was ambushed in Goodsprings.”

“By the Great Khans we found in Boulder City and that Benny character.” Boone confirmed that he did remember.

“They tied me up. Had me down on my knees. Benny wanted to flaunt his victory before he executed me.”

“By shooting you in the head with that 9mm? Point blank?” Boone asked incredulously.

“Twice, I think.” Cross brought a hand up to point out the scars above her left temple.

Boone reached out a hand to pull her to a stop. “And then they buried you?” He asked quietly.

“Yes. In the Goodsprings cemetery.”

“But you survived.”

“It’s hazy, but I dug my way outta that grave. Figured I wouldn’t survive.” She shrugged. “I was too far from Goodsprings and they took all my supplies. Crawled anyways. Didn’t make it far before I passed out. The doc told me one of those Securitrons found me and carried me to the clinic.”

“You never told me.” Boone said sadly.

“It’s no big deal, okay? I survived.”

“No big deal?!” Boone said roughly. “No one should have to go through that!”

“It worked out for the best, didn’t it?” She said with a sad smile. “I never would have come to Novac otherwise.”

“Cross.” Boone said with a sigh.

Cross grinned at her partner. “On the topic of what the ambassador said; **Craig** Boone?” She said incredulously.

“What?” Boone asked confused.

“Your first name is Craig?”

“Yeah. So what?”

“I didn’t know.” She said a bit sadly.

“You didn’t?” He said in surprise.

“ **Everyone** just calls you Boone and it’s not like you introduced yourself when we first met!”

“You didn’t introduce yourself either.” Boone defended. “In fact, I think the first thing you did was **attack** me.”

“Attack **you**? You’re the one who aimed a rifle at me!”

“It was late! I wasn’t expecting anyone!”

Cross broke out laughing which stopped the playful argument in its tracks. Boone couldn’t help but smile at the laugh. When she finished laughing, she stuck out a hand toward Boone and offered him a smile. “Pleased to meet you. I’m Sable Cross.”

Boone smiled back. “Likewise. Craig Boone.” He shook her hand.

“There! Now we’ve been properly introduced.” Cross didn’t mention the other thing new she’d learned about Boone; his **birthday**. March 31st. She checked here Pip-boy; March 25th. Six days. Cross didn’t know much about birthdays and birthday parties since she couldn’t remember ever having one. But she did know the tradition; family and friends gather together and celebrate over a meal with a cake and presents are given to the person whose birthday it was. Boone was a very private person though. He may not appreciate being put in the spotlight like that. Cross knew she wouldn’t.

They were just about to walk off when Cross noticed a building near the embassy that didn’t fit with the rest. It was a large drab building with a bright neon sign.

“What’s that building?” She asked as she pointed.

“I don’t know.” Boone answered pensively. “Always kind of wondered myself, but no one ever mentioned it.”

“Let’s go find out then.” They headed over and headed inside.

An hour later, they emerged and Cross had a camera in her hands. “I can’t believe he’ll pay **that** much for us to walk to Novac and back.”

“Dunno what’s so ‘inspiring’ about that dinosaur.” Boone shrugged.


End file.
